Kochi, Nov 7: Hit hard by the vagaries of the Japanese market and tight availability of raw materials availability have led to a drastic fall in the export earnings of the seafood industry for the first half of the current fiscal. This is despite a marginal rise in quantity of products exported during April-September compared with the same period of the previous year.The $1.2-billion industry also suffered an estimated loss of Rs 200 crore as the major shrimp farms in the east coast region have been devastated by the recent cyclone that ravaged Orissa last week.According to the provisional figures released by the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA), the total seafood exports during the April-September period this year went up by less than one per cent to 1.21 lakh tonnes from last year's 1.20 lakh tonnes.
However, the value realisation even in rupee terms has registered a sharp decline of around five per cent at Rs 2,200 crore from Rs 2,330 crore during the same period of lastyear.
MPEDA sources said a major reason for the decline in export earnings was the erratic behaviour of Japanese markets. According to the estimates, the total exports to Japan was down by over Rs 150 crore, one of the biggest ever fall to the region in the recent past.
Sources said several factors have contributed to the declining trend in export to the Japanese market, which was growing at a steady pace till recently. Topping the list of negatives was the high volatility in the Japanese currency against the dollar, they said.
Besides, the export of shrimps to the Japanese market has also suffered a value erosion. The average value of shrimp of superior count has declined between 50 cents to $1.5 per kg during the period. ``There is a marked tendency among the consumers to shift towards low value fish products from high end shrimp products,'' the source said.
Though the total exports of shrimp during the period has gone up to 50,400 tonnes in first half 1999, from 49,400 tonnes during thecorresponding period of the previous year, the total rupee earnings has come down to Rs 1,700 crore down from Rs 1,810 crore during the same period of the previous year.
Market-wise, exports to all major destinations except to Japan has shown an increasing trend.
The total exports to the US went up by 200 tonnes valued at Rs 65 crore and to the EU market it went up by 5000 tonnes valued at Rs 55 crore.
According to the preliminary estimates, the total seafood exports for the whole year will be down by over Rs 200 crore as the super cyclone that hit the East coast has left the whole shrimp farms and aquaculture field here in rubble. ``It takes at least six months to reconstruct the field and start production,'' MPEDA sources said.
Copyright © 1999 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.