The Hindu : Business : Fall in seafood exports

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Aug 04, 2004

Business

Business

Fall in seafood exports

By K. Venkiteswaran

KOCHI, AUG. 3. There had been a fall both in volume and value of seafood exports though the sector had been continuing to maintain record levels in exports for the past ten years.

Addressing a press conference here yesterday, the Chairman of the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA), G. Mohan Kumar, said consecutively for the tenth year, Indian seafood exports had crossed $1 billion despite heavy odds the seafood industry had been facing of late.

Against a target of $1.376 billion for 2003-04, seafood exports were $1.330.76 billion and the quantity exported was 4.12 lakh tonnes against 4.67 lakh tonnes in 2002-03. In rupee terms also there was a shortfall of Rs. 789.30 crores as the final export figures for 2003-04 were Rs. 6,091.95 crores against Rs. 6,881.31 crores recorded in 2002-03. The U.S. overtook Japan as the major importer of Indian frozen shrimp though China continued to maintain its lead in all other categories.

Regarding the impost of anti-dumping duty by the Southern Shrimp Alliance of the U.S., the MPEDA chairman said the impact was yet to be studied. However the Seafood Exporters Association of India President, A. J. Tharakan, said it would not have long-term impact on exports though the association was lobbying to bring the duty to the minimum level. It had appointed a legal firm to plead for the country's seafood export industry.

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