Marine exports up despite price decline

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Kochi, March 20: The worldwide price downtrend in high-valued items and the US imposition of anti-dumping duties on shrimp notwithstanding, marine exports from the country during the first nine months of the fiscal recorded a growth, both in terms of quantity and value.

However, this was pre-tsunami and it is estimated that the havoc caused by the tidal waves would affect exports.

While the last three months may see a 10% fall in exports owing to tsunami for this fiscal, its impact for the coming period is estimated to be around 30%.

According to figures available with the Marine Products Export Development Authority (Mpeda), total exports from the country was 3,36,313 tonnes worth Rs 4,938.67, compared to 3,16,091 tonnes worth Rs 4,683.9 crore.

The anti-dumping duty imposed by the US on Indian shrimp, which was likely to be reviewed in the backdrop of the tsunami disaster, saw the leading market for shrimp decline by 1.63% in quantity and nearly 5%, in rupee terms.

However, trade sources said that this was compensated by the rise of over 25% in quantity to the South East Asian market as also the 5.55% rise to the West Asian market.

The European Union market pipped the US to notch the top slot, registering a 13.86% rise in quantity and 14.76% in rupee terms. While the total exports to the US fell to 38,599 tonnes, worth Rs 1,208.66 crore, compared to 39,239 tonnes worth Rs 1,271.95 crore the same period last year, exports to the EU were up to 81,853 tonnes worth Rs 1,290.34 crore, compared to 71,887 tonnes worth Rs 1,124.39 crore last year.

The EU basket contained mainly shrimp, cuttle and squid.

Japan, the market for high-valued items did see a 4.6% rise in quantity though the price realisation in rupee terms fell by 3.47%. This has been attributed to the global downtrend in prices for such items.

The EU accounted for 24.34% share in quantity, the US, 11.48% and Japan 12.14%. Value wise in rupee terms, it was 26.13, 24.47 and 18.79, respectively.

China, a main market for ribbon fish, too showed a decline of 3.23% in quantity and 2.81, in value. This too has been attributed to the generally low prices.