The Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) confirmed that the Indian seafood exports rose to $1.89 billion during 2007-08. G.Mohan Kumar, Chairman MPEDA, informed that the surge boost the seafood industry. He also added that despite a slow down in fish landings along the Indian coastline and fall in aquaculture production, the country was able to notch up a 2.49 percent growth in dollar exports mainly due to a surge in unit value realization.
According to news agency this was the fourth year in succession that the country has been able to achieve record export earnings in dollar terms. Mohan Kumar explained that there was a decline of 8.88 per cent in rupee terms which was accompanied by a 11.58 per cent fall in export quantum. The unit value realisation moved up on the back of sharp price rise for cuttlefish and squid. Frozen shrimp accounted for 52 percent of total marine exports at $980 million followed by frozen fish valued at 17 percent at $326 million, frozen cuttlefish at nine per cent at $185 million and frozen squid at five per cent at $101 million.
It is said that the overall production of the export-oriented aquaculture in 2007-08 was estimated 1.33 lakh tonnes, which was fall by 41,000 tonnes in quantity and Rs 941 crore in value compared to the previous year. Shrimp production showed a decrease by 26 percent and scampi production by 9 percent over the previous year.
