Global shortage of farmed shrimp continues to boost India's seafood export prospects. After crossing the Rs30,000-crore mark last year, the shipments have shown nearly 30% rise till the end of July with vannamei shrimp bringing in a significant part of the revenue.

Frozen shrimp now accounts for 78% of the total seafood consignments from India, up from 71% in the same period last year. Another notable feature is that exports to the European Union and Middle East have increased during four months.

Frozen shrimp now accounts for 78% of the total seafood consignments from IndiaSeafood exports from India totalled 2,41,600 tonne valued at Rs9,345 crore during the period April-July 2014. Though there is only a marginal increase in quantity, the value is up by 29%, indicating good prices for Indian shrimps.

"Middle East countries have been buying lot of Indian seafood, particularly Egypt, Saudi Arabia and UAE. There has been failure of white shrimp crop in Saudi Arabia," said Anwar Hashim, managing director of Abad Fisheries, a leading exporter. The prices of Indian shrimp, he said, increased from Rs500 to Rs650 per kg , though it has come down in the recent weeks.

Indian aquaculture farms are breeding more shrimps to meet the demand, encouraged by good prices for shrimps in the global market. The shrimp farms in South East Asia are gradually recovering after the early mortality syndrome (EMS) disease attack.

"Last year our production was around 3 lakh tonne. This year it could be 25,000 tonne more as the demand is still good," said L Satyanarayana, president of All India Shrimp Hatcheries Association. The farming is mainly concentrated in the eastern parts of the country mainly in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Orissa and West Bengal. It is also picking up in Gujarat.

Thailand is the main producer of cultured shrimp in the world. But after the disease attack, the production has dropped from an average 6 lakh tonne to 2.6 lakh tonne. "There is still a shortage of around 3.4 lakh tonne," Satyanarayana said.

Globefish, a unit of FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Department says in its reports that Indian farmers have been holding stocks in their ponds from mid-June onwards following renewed import inquiries from the US and European Union. The farms are moving away from black tiger variety of shrimp in favour of vannamei.According to the report, there has been a 40% reduction in black tiger shrimp production in India in 2013.

Source:- economictimes.indiatimes.com