KOCHI: Brushing aside concerns regarding the impact of 50 per cent penalty tax imposed by the US administration on the Indian seafood export sector, Union Minister of State for Fisheries George Kurian said the exports have grown by 6 per cent.
The development is likely attributed to the efforts taken by the government to explore new markets.
“The fisheries sector has registered a growth of 9 per cent which is the highest after the IT sector. We have found new markets in the European Union, England, Africa, Scandinavian countries, Japan and China. Only the consignments on transit during the announcement of the penalty tax were affected. There were concerns as around 40 per cennt of the shrimp exports were to the US. But our Prime Minister visited various countries and ensured the opening of new markets,” he said.
According to Marine Products Export Development Authority(MPEDA) chairman D V Swamy, the country recorded an 11.90 per cent increase in seafood exports during the six months from April to September compared to the previous year.
While there was a 4.65 per cent decline in exports to the USA, exports to Vietnam rose by 105 per cent while that of Thailand, the European Union and China grew by 35.32, 32.59 and 14 per cent respectively.
The export of seafood during the six months stood at 3,814.99 million USD compared to 3,409.24 million USD during the same period in the previous year.
However, seafood exporters said that there was a 75 per cent decline in exports to the US after the penalty tax was imposed.
33000 trawlers to get free Turtle Excluder Devices
Continuing the efforts to overcome the US ban on Indian wild-caught shrimp, the Union government will provide Turtle Excluder Devices (TED) to 33,000 fishing vessels to comply with the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) regulations, Minister George Kurian told media persons in Kochi.
Each TED will cost Rs 23,000 and the expense will be shared by the Centre and states on a 60-40 ratio. Aiming to secure the first place in fishing sector, the country will equip fishermen to extend the fishing grounds to the 200 nautical mile Exclusive Economic Zone and deep sea.
The Union fisheries ministry and the ministry of cooperation will provide financial aid to fishermen cooperatives to procure modern fishing vessels.
The project was launched in Maharashtra by Union Minister for Cooperation Amit Shah on October 27. In the next phase, fishermen cooperatives will be encouraged to purchase large factory vessels for deep-sea fishing.
The Fisheries Survey of India and the Central Institute of Fisheries Nautical and Engineering Training (CIFNET) will provide training to fishermen to undertake deep sea fishing.
The Centre will distribute one lakh transponders with two way communication facility to fishermen during the current financial year.
Around 5,000 transponders have already been distributed in Kerala. The minister said six fishing vessels have already been distributed to fishermen cooperatives in Kerala.
The ministry will facilitate loans to the tune of Rs 30 lakh. NABARD provides the loan at 5 per cent interest and the Ministry will pay 3 per cent interest.
The cooperatives will have to pay only 2 per cent interest.
