Value wise, Tamil Nadu has been maintaining the lead in sea food exports from the country since 2004-2005. As per statistics prepared by the Marine Products Exports Development Authority (MPEDA), the value of sea food exported by Tamil Nadu in 2004-05 was Rs. 2068.06 crore ($459.57m), Rs. 1995.73 crore ($454.40m) in 2005-06, Rs. 2068.06 crore ($457.22m) in 2006-07, Rs. 1813.14 crore ($450.84m) in 2007-08 and Rs. 1772.20 crore ($394.40m) in 2008-09.
From the second position it occupied in sea food exports during 2004-2005, Kerala has been pushed to the fourth position in 2008-2009. In 2004-05 Kerala’s sea food export value was Rs. 1158.07 crore ($257.43m). The annual export value graph since then shows a steady climb for the next two years, dropped during 2007-08 and climbed again to touch Rs. 1572.18 crore ($ 50.26m) in 2008-09.
From the third position it occupied in 2004-05 with a sea food export value of Rs. 1037.73 crore ($231.41m), Maharashtra climbed to the second position in 2008-09 with its export value touching Rs. 1663.87 crore ($368.12 m). It was a big climb compared to that State’s export value in 2007-08 that stood at Rs. 1237. 47 crore ($308.51m).
From the fourth position in 2004-05 with its export value showing Rs. 751.55 crore ($167.78m) Gujarat reached the third position in 2008-09 with its export value zooming to Rs. 1660.89 crore ($367.30m). In terms of value, sea food exports from Andhra Pradesh show a considerable fall from Rs. 1029.07 crore ($228.58m) in 2004-05 to Rs. 897.93 crore ($199.85m) in 2008-09. This is in spite of the fact that export value from Andhra Pradesh had touched Rs. 1264.75 crore ($278.88m) during 2006-07.
The MPEDA statistics show that value of the total sea food export from the country was Rs. 6646.69 crore ($1478.48m) during 2004-05 it climbed to Rs. 8607.94 crore ($1908.63m) in 2008-09. The statistics show that exports from West Bengal and Karnataka are steadily climbing. Though a coastal State, there was no sea food export from Orissa during 2008-09.
Meanwhile, quantity wise, Gujarat stands first with 1,85,871 tons of sea food exported during 2008-09. Mahrashtra is in the second position with 1,29,173 tons, Kerala in the third position with 1,00,780 tons and interestingly, Tamil Nadu, is on top value-wise and quantity-wise, in the fourth position with 68,397 tons. It shows that exports from Tamil Nadu are prized delicacies in the importing countries. The total quantity of sea food exported from India during 2008-09 touched 6,02,835 tons.
Value and quantity wise, the European Union was the biggest importer of sea food from India. During 2008-09 the European Union imported 1,51,590 tons of sea food from the country and its value stands at Rs. 2799.96 crore ($622.87m). China was the second biggest importer of sea food from India during the period showing a quantity of 1,47,312 tons valued at Rs.1,296.39 crores ($281.90m).
The United States imported 36,877 tons of sea food from India valued at Rs. 1,021.55 crore ($227.29m).
The MPEDA statistics show that the sea food export target of the country during 2009-2010 is 6,90,618 tons valued at $2,214 million. In the value wise break up, Tamil Nadu is again in the lead with a target set at $462m followed by Maharashtra with $432m. Kerala’s target comes third with $410 m and Gujarat aims at $380m.
PHOTO CAPTION: The export oriented Karikadi shrimp harvest at the
Shakthikulangara Fishing Harbour in Kollam..(eom)
