VIJAYAWADA: Yet again Andhra Pradesh has topped the chart in shrimp exports enabling the country to register an impressive growth rate of 10.05 per cent (monetary value) in marine products exports in 2014-15 fiscal and touch $5.5 billion mark.
According to the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) chairperson Leena Nair, who released statistical figures pertaining to marine product exports for the financial year 20114-15 in Kochi, Kerala, the exports growth in Andhra Pradesh was 10.67 per cent as compared to 7.33 per cent in the previous fiscal. L Vannamei culture in the state had increased to 31 per cent in 2014-15 which helped the state retain the status of leading exporter of shrimp.
Visakhapatnam port continued to top the charts in marine exports from India with exports worth Rs 7,578.27 crore and the total marine exports from AP stood at Rs 9,296 crore. This is significant, given the downward trend in unit value realisation for L Vannamei in the US and other markets in December 2014.
The price had dropped from $7.60 per pound in November 2014 to $6.95 in December 2014. The trend continued till March 2015, with lowest recorded price being $5.90 per pound in March 2015. Even though the total exports of shrimp had increased by 18.61 per cent in quantity, the US dollar realisation value recorded only at 15.55 per cent increase.
S Kandan, MPEDA deputy director (aqua) regional centre at Vijayawada, said that MPEDA chairperson had set the target of USD 6.6 billion worth marine products exports for the current fiscal with an objective of crossing the USD 10 billion mark by 2018. “Increased production of L Vannamei shrimp, diversification of aquaculture species, particularly Tilapia and Mangrove crab, quality control measures would help us in achieving the target,” he said exuding confidence in the state government’s measures for promoting aquaculture in the state.