Visakhapatnam: Vizag tops the list in the state as also in the country in the export of processed shrimps in the 2021-22 financial year.
The US and China are major importers of Indian seafood. Frozen shrimp continued to be a major export item, followed by frozen fish.
According to the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA), about 2.45 lakh MT (metric tonnes) volume of frozen prawns was exported through the Visakhapatnam port. This accounted for 33 per cent of the nation’s total shrimp export of 7.28 lakh MT, and 82 per cent of Andhra Pradesh's shrimp export of 3 lakh MT.
In terms of value, nearly $2 billion worth of shrimp was exported from Vizag. India’s total export of shrimp was valued at $5.8 billion, while that of AP was at $2.7 billion.
"This time, like Kakinada and Krishnapatnam could not do this. This may be a reason why prawns export from Vizag touched 82 per cent," an MPEDA official told Deccan Chronicle.
He said the Covid pandemic did not leave the fisheries sector high and dry. Although fisheries exports were severely affected in the first half of 2020, the sector recovered well and continued to grow in later years.
There are 102 shrimp processing plants in AP, including 21 in Visakhapatnam and its surrounding areas like Vizianagaram.
"Indian shrimp, like Vanamia, are in high demand in the US and China. There is a special taste and demand for the Vizag product," noted a shrimp exporter.
Total shrimp exports recorded a growth of 23 per cent this financial year, compared to last year, when it reached 5.9 lakh metric tonnes.
MPEDA chairman KN Raghavan said the Indian fisheries sector performed well this year and has achieved the all-time-high export figures in terms of value. "We will achieve the best record this year also," he said.
