​India exported 11,34,948 tonnes of seafood, worth an all-time high $5.78 billion (Rs 37,870.90 crore) in 2016-17, against 9,45,892 tonnes and $4.69 billion a year earlier, according to the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA).

Frozen shrimp remained the top item of export, accounting for 38.28 per cent in quantity and 64.50 per cent of the total earnings in dollar terms.

Shrimp exports increased by 16.21 per cent in terms of quantity, and 20.33 per cent in dollar terms. Frozen fish was the second largest export item, accounting for a share of 26.15 per cent in quantity and 11.64 per cent in dollar earnings, registering a growth of 26.92 per cent in terms of value, a Commerce Ministry release said.

The US and South-East Asia continue to be the major importers, while the demand from the European Union (EU) grew substantially during the period, a Commerce Ministry release said.

The US imported 1,88,617 tonnes of Indian seafood, accounting for 29.98 per cent in terms of dollar. Exports to that country registered a growth of 22.72 per cent, 33 per cent and 29.82 per cent in terms of quantity, value in rupee and dollars, respectively.

South-East Asia was the second largest destination of India’s marine products, with a share of 29.91 per cent in dollar terms, followed by the EU (17.98 per cent), Japan (6.83 per cent), West Asia (4.78 per cent), China (3.50 per cent) and other countries (7.03 per cent).

“Overall, exports to South-East Asia increased by 47.41 per cent in quantity, 52.84 per cent in rupee value and 49.90 per cent in dollar earnings,” the Ministry said.

The overall export of shrimp during 2016-17 was pegged at 4,34,484 tonnes worth $3,726.36 million. The US was the largest import market for frozen shrimp (1, 65,827 tonnes), followed by the EU (77,178 tonnes), South-East Asia (1, 05,763 tonnes), Japan (31,284 tonnes), West Asia (19,554 tonnes), China (7818 tonnes) and other countries (27,063 tonnes).

“Increased production of L. Vannamei, diversification of aquaculture species, sustained measures to ensure quality, and increase in infrastructure facilities for production of value-added products were largely responsible for India’s positive growth in exports of seafood,” said Nirmala Sitharaman, Minister for Commerce and Industry.

The export of Vannamei shrimp, a major delicacy, improved from 2,56,699 tonnes to 3,29,766 tonnes in 2016-17, registering a growth of 28.46 per cent in quantity. In value terms, 49.55 per cent of total Vannamei shrimp was exported to the US, followed by 23.28 per cent to South-East Asian countries, 13.17 per cent to the EU, 4.53 per cent to Japan, 3.02 per cent to West Asia and 1.35 per cent to China.

Besides frozen shrimp and frozen fish, India’s other major seafood products were frozen squid, which recorded a growth of 21.50 per cent, 59.44 per cent and 57 per cent in terms of quantity, rupee value and dollar earnings, respectively. Export of frozen cuttlefish showed a decline in quantity terms, but increased in rupee value and dollar terms by 18.85 per cent and 16.95 per cent, respectively.

Dried items registered a growth of 40.98 per cent, 20.14 per cent and 79.05 per cent in terms of quantity, rupee value and dollar value, respectively.

Port handling

Indian ports handled total marine cargo of 11,34,948 tonnes worth Rs 37,870.90 crore ($5,777.61 million) in 2016-17 as compared to 9,45,892 tonnes worth Rs 30,420.83 crore ($4,687.94 million) in 2015-16.

Vizag Port exported 1,59,973 tonnes of marine cargo worth Rs 9,294.31 crore ($1,401.94 million) in 2016-17 as compared to Rs 1,28,718 tonnes worth Rs 7,161 crore (1,105.76 million dollars) in 2015-16.

Vizag Port was followed by Kochi (1,55,989 tonnes, Rs 4,447.05 crore), Kolkata (1,04668 tonnes, Rs 4,451.67 crore), Pipavav (2,32,391 tonnes, Rs 4,217.45 crore), JNP (1,49,914 tonnes, Rs 4,084.96 crore), Krishnapatnam (62,049 tonnes, Rs 3,701.63 crore), Tuticorin (42,026 tonnes, Rs 2,220.52 crore), and Chennai (37,305 tonnes, Rs 1,693.87 crore), the Ministry said.