Indian shrimp exports to touch Rs.27,151 crore by 2017

Kolkata, Feb 2
While the Indian frozen shrimp export market is expected to reach nearly Rs.27,151 crore by 2017, over-exploitation of the crustacean has led to a market imbalance, a study conducted by an industry association said Monday.

According to industry body Assocham, there is an urgent need to promote brackish water aquaculture for shrimp production through focused research on increasing productivity.

"Over-exploitation of shrimp from natural sources and ever-increasing demand for shrimp and shrimp products globally has resulted in wide demand-supply gap, thereby necessitating the need for exploring new avenues for increasing production of prawns and increasing brackish water area under culture," D.S. Rawat, secretary general of the industry body said here.

Indian shrimp exports in 2013-14 accounted for 301,435 tonnes valued at $3,210.94 million and the volume export of cultured shrimp grew by 31.85 percent in the time period.

The study has stated the exports in the coming years are expected to rise by 36.71 percent in volume and 92.29 percent in terms of dollar valuation.

According to the study, although the shrimp production potential is enormous for the country, estimated at over 11 lakh hectares (ha) available for brackish water, only 8.5 percent, accounting for about 1 lakh ha has been brought under shrimp cultivation.

Brackish water is needed for shrimp farming and is the natural habitat of the crustacean.

Though West Bengal had the largest available brackish water area of over four lakh ha, the state had brought a meagre 12 percent area of about 47,488 ha under brackish water culture as of 2009-10, the study said.

The state, which had the highest share of over 46 percent in total area under brackish water culture, however, has decreased by about six per cent in four years.

Gujarat, ranked second in terms of potential brackish water area of over 3.7 lakh ha, had brought only 0.5 percent or about 1,916 ha of area under brackish water culture.

However, it is the only coastal state where area under brackish water culture has increased by about 48 percent, from 1,297 ha in 2005-06 to 1,916 ha as of 2009-10, added the study.