Seafood export: Vizag to play a significant role

September 26, 2016 12:00 am | Updated November 01, 2016 09:07 pm IST - VISAKHAPATNAM:

Bright prospects to increase seafood exports from Visakhapatnam Port became the talking point at the just-concluded 20th edition of the three-day India International Seafood Show, which was held in the city after a gap of 15 years.

The port, which boasts of having state-of-the-art facilities for movement of seafood in refrigerated containers at the Visakha Container Terminal Private Limited, is expecting a substantial jump in seafood exports mostly Vannamei, an exotic species, cultured in ponds. Vannamei is known as white-leg shrimp. The port retained its top slot in the country for marine product exports with the total turnover standing at around Rs. 7,000 crore for the past several years. “Its a strategic location on the East Coast and being home to several aquaculture farms is the reason for its emergence as the leading exporting port,” Seafood Exporters’ Association of India president V. Padmanabham told The Hindu .

VCTPL, a joint venture of J.M. Baxi & Group and DP World, which developed the container terminal as a BOT operator following a concession agreement with the port in 2003 has plans to expand it further with an investment of Rs. 633 crore.

VCTPL has been showing consistent growth in volume of reefer containers with a 14 per cent average year-on-year increase since its inception.

With thrust on value addition and awareness and training programmes on stringent quality control measures to meet the parameters stipulated by the main importers like the United States, Japan, the Russian Federation and the European Union, the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) is confident of achieving $10 billion target set by Ministry of Commerce for exports by 2020.

MPEDA Chairman Dr. A. Jayathilak said exporters from the region and Visakhapatnam Port would play a key role in achieving the target of crossing $10 billion. India, which earned $4.7 billion from exports last year, is projected to have a turnover of $5.6 billion during current fiscal.

The port retained its top slot in the country for marine product exports with the total turnover standing at around Rs. 7,000 crore for the past several years

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