Exports of shrimp to US, Japan decline

Steep dumping duties, contamination threat play spoilsports.

Shrimp exports suffered a serious set back in major markets like the US and Japan in 2007. During the year, imports by Japan declined to 27,025 tonnes as against 28,546 tonnes in 2006. The drop in exports to the US was much sharper with 20,776 tonnes as against 27,277 tonnes in 2006.

India's shrimp exports to the US have fallen nearly 100 per cent in the last three years. The country shipped 41,004 tonnes in 2004, which dropped to 35,699 tonnes in 2005.

Japan's overall import of shrimp during 2007 declined to 276,222 tonnes as against 301,078 tonnes in the previous year. In fact, imports in 2007 were the lowest by Japan since 2003.

The value of Japanese import, too, slipped to $2.25 billion as against $2.49 billion in 2006. Japan's imports from Myanmar, Bangladesh and the Philippines also dropped mainly on account of the presence of an anti-biotic in shrimp imported from the South Asian region.

Only Thailand and China managed to perform better in terms of shipments to Japan in 2007. Thailand's exports were up by 31 per cent while Chinese shipments rose marginally.

Interestingly, India's exports of all kinds of fish to Japan increased by 12 per cent in quantity and 17 per cent in value.

But both China and Thailand had a tough time in the US as Thai shrimp exports dropped to 188,319 tonnes as against 193,764 tonnes in 2006.

Chinese exports declined to 48,419 tonnes from 68,150 tonnes in 2006. Ecuador, Indonesia, Vietnam, Mexico, Malaysia, Venezuela, Guyana and Peru found more favour with US importers, albeit marginally. Only Mexico improved exports by 5,280 tonnes at 40,558 tonnes. While food poisoning incidents linked with imported seafood affected the

Japanese market, exorbitant anti-dumping duties played spoilsport for shrimp exporters in the US market.

The number of Indian shrimp exporters to the US declined to 80 in 2006-07 from 179 in 2001-02.

India had exported a record 612,641 tonnes of marine products valued at Rs 8,363.53 crore during

2006-07, up 19.62 per cent in quantity and 15.43 per cent in rupee value. Fifty-five per cent of the total value of the exported items was realised from shrimp which indicates how important the US and Japanese markets are to the country.

The European Union emerged as the largest market for Indian marine products with 34 per cent followed by Japan (16.1 per cent), the USA (16.03 per cent) and China with 14 per cent.