The Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) has begun export of seafood products to different countries from Andhra Pradesh. China which stopped imports due to COVID-19, has started taking shrimp and the market is picking up.
However, there is no demand for shrimp in the international market as US, European Union and other countries are suffering a lot due to the global crisis in the last few days.
Andhra Pradesh was contributing 34% of the total exports, followed by Kerala and Maharashtra 12%, Tamil Nadu 11% and Gujarat and West Bengal 10%. In 2018-19, seafood products worth about ₹16,000 crore were exported to different countries from the State.
But the dreaded virus has hit the exports in the last quarter of 2019-20 causing a huge loss to the farmers, processing units, exporters and other stakeholders in the State. With almost all the countries imposing a ban on imports due to coronavirus, exports have stopped.
CM holds talks
Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy and Fisheries Minister Mopidevi Venkata Ramana held discussions with MPEDA chairman K.S. Srinivas on Saturday, and enquired about improving aqua exports. Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy was understood to have asked the chairman whether the government could take the produce from the farmers directly to minimise losses to them.
Mr. Srinivas explained that shipment has been started from Visakhapatnam, Kakinada and Krishnapatnam Ports in the last five days and shrimp, fish and other products have been sent to Malaysia, Hong Kong and Singapore.
Later, the chairman held a meeting with the exporters at the MPEDA regional office in Vijayawada, and asked them about the procurement and demand.
The MPEDA chairman told The Hindu on Sunday that exports were picking up slowly to the neighbouring States and to some countries. MPEDA was taking all measures to improve exports to prevent losses to the farmers and other stakeholders, he said.
“There is no demand for 30 to 50 count shrimp per kg in the international market. Prices are fluctuating and exporters are not coming forward to procure the stocks immediately,” Mr. Srinivas said.
MPEDA Joint Director Y. Vijay Kumar said inter-State exports have resumed and the market is improving.
Farmers worried
Meanwhile, farmers fear further price fall due to coronavirus impact in A.P. and the neighbouring States and other countries.
“There is no demand for L.Vannamei shrimp in the last two months in the State. We are harvesting the crop due to fear of losses and selling the produce at lesser price in the domestic market. If the present situation continues for a few more days, aqua sector will suffer badly,” a farmer S. Nageswara Rao of Akiveedu said.
