Corona virus makes no dent in India's seafood exports to China

Visakhapatnam: India’s seafood exports to China are not likely to be hit due to the Corona virus outbreak that has mostly hit the country's Wuhan province, the marine products export development authority (MPEDA) said on 13 February.

“Seafood exports to China have increased substantially in the current financial year as compared to the same period a year ago. During April-December 2019, total seafood exports to China stood at 2,42,218 tons valued at US$ 1,032 million as against 1,65,950 tons valued at US$ 589 million in the same period last year,” said K.S Srinivas, chairman of MPEDA, which functions under the Union ministry of commerce and industry as an autonomous nodal agency for holistic development of the seafood industry.

“The increase is 46 per cent in terms of quantity and 75 per cent in terms of value,” he said. Around 500 exporters are exporting seafood from India to China and they have not raised any issue about Corona virus, he said. However, few of them have expressed concerns as the shrimp consumption in China might reduce. But there is a strong possibility that Chinese consumers will switch to healthier seafood options.

At the recent India International Seafood Show (IISS) 2020, Mr Srinivas had said the Corona virus outbreak had not affected the shrimp consumption in China.

India is the second largest aquaculture producer in the world and the largest exporter of shrimp to the USA. India also exports a significant volume of shrimp to Europe and other markets in south-east Asia. Andhra Pradesh has been contributing over 40 per cent of the total seafood export from India to other countries.