Indian Seafood Export Improves 31.71 PC During FY 2021-22

The Indian seafood export has improved 31.71 per cent with 13,69,264 MT of seafood worth INR 57,586.48 crore shipped during financial year 2021-22, Ministry of Commerce & Industry said on Wednesday.

“India shipped 13,69,264 MT of seafood worth INR 57,586.48 crore (USD 7.76 billion) during 2021-22, despite heavy odds. During the FY 2021-22, the export improved in rupee term by 31.71per cent, in USD terms by 30.26 per cent and in quantity terms by 19.12 per cent. In 2020-21, India had exported 11,49,510 MT of seafood worth INR 43,720.98 crore (USD 5,956.93 million),” the government said in a statement.

KN Raghavan, Chairman, Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA), said India managed to do all time high exports export worth USD 7.76 billion with volume of 13,69,264 MT of seafood, despite the several challenges in its major export markets caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to the details, frozen shrimp remained the major export item in terms of quantity and value which earned INR 42,706.04 crore (USD 5,828.59 million), accounted for a share of 53.18 per cent in quantity and 75.11 per cent of the total dollar earnings. Shrimp exports during the period increased by 31.68 per cent in USD value and 23.35 per cent in quantity.

The overall export of frozen shrimps during 2021-22 was pegged at 7,28,123 MT. USA, the largest market, imported (3,42,572 MT) of frozen shrimp, followed by China (1,25,667 MT), European Union (90,549 MT), South East Asia (44,683 MT), Japan (38,492 MT), and the Middle East (37,158 MT). Export of frozen shrimp shown increase in all the markets by value.

The export of Vannamei (white leg) shrimp increased from 5,15,907 MT to 6,43,037 MT in 2021-22. Of the total Vannamei shrimp exports in USD value terms, USA accounted for 59.05 per cent, followed by China (14.59 per cent), European Union (8.16 per cent), South East Asia (4.78 per cent), Japan (3.61 per cent), and the Middle East (3.17 per cent). USA also turned out to be the major market for Black Tiger shrimp with a share of 25.90% in terms of USD value, followed by European Union (23.78 per cent) and Japan (22.71 per cent). 

Other items, the second largest export item, fetched INR 3,979.99 crore (USD 540.73 million), accounting for 12.96 per cent in quantity and 6.97 per cent in dollar earnings. The export of other items increased by 43.8 per cent cent in rupee value and 42.94 per cent in dollar value. Other items comprise surimi and surimi analogue products by 56.55 per cent in USD terms.

Frozen fish, the third largest export item, fetched INR 3471.91 crore (USD 471.45 million), accounting for 16.55 per cent in quantity and 6.08 per cent in dollar earnings. The export of frozen fish increased by 20.44 per cent in quantity and 17.19 per cent in dollar value.

China emerged as the second largest seafood export destination from India in terms of quantity with an import of 2,66,989 MT worth USD 1,175.05 million, accounting for 19.50 per cent in quantity and 15.14 per cent in dollar terms.

Meanwhile, European Union continued to be the third largest destination for Indian seafood with frozen shrimp, the major item of exports, registering an increase of 29.11 per cent and 37.09 per cent in quantity and dollar value, respectively.