EU biggest market for Indian seafood
Friday, 25 April 2008, 01:39 IST
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Brussels: The European Union (EU) has emerged as the largest importer of Indian marine products, accounting for 34 percent of the exports by value, EuAsiaNews reported. G. Mohan Kumar, chairman of India's Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA), said at the sidelines of the Brussels seafood fair Wednesday that frozen shrimp continued to be the largest export item. It accounted for about 54 percent of the total value of exports. Kumar said that India exported marine products worth $1.85 billion during 2006-7. MPEDA wants an export turnover of $4 billion by 2012 and $6 billion by 2017. Speaking later to EuAsiaNews, Kumar said India exported over $600 million worth of marine products to EU last year. Britain, France, Germany, Belgium and Italy were among the major importers. "Our share of exports to the EU has increased and naturally the volume has also increased," he said. Anwar Hashim, president of the Exporters Association of India (SEAI), told EuAsiaNews that problems with the EU regarding health issues had been sorted out. "We have also improved quite a lot. We are very conscious of the European control," said Hashim, who heads the Cochin-based ABAD Fisheries group. India has 230 EU approved seafood export units. "This is an important event for us. The EU has emerged the number one market for Indian seafood," said M.K. Lokesh, deputy chief of the Indian mission in Brussels. Ten Indian companies are among the 1,600 participating from approximately 80 countries in the 16th Annual European Seafood Exposition (ESE) that ended Thursday. Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka were also represented at the Brussels fair, said to be the world's biggest seafood event. Running parallel to the ESE is Seafood Processing Europe (SPE), which showcases the latest in processing and packaging technology and services.
Source: IANS
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