Export Performance 2020-21 

Outlook for 2021-22

DoC has fixed an export target of marine products worth USD 7.809 billion during the year 2021-22. Stringent quality control measures, increase in the production from aquaculture, reducing the post harvest loss from marine sector, increase in infrastructure facilities for production of value added items and timely addressing of market access issues are expected to help in achieving this target. India occupies the following position in production and export;

  • 6th  largest producer in capture fisheries (3.62 Million Tonnes 2018 – FAO).
  • 2nd  largest producer in aquaculture fisheries (7.066 Million Tonnes 2018 – FAO).
  • 4th  largest exporter of fish and fishery products in the world (USD 6.77 Billion –  2019).
  • India accounts for 4.41% share in world seafood exports.

The major activities of Market Promotion Section is as follows

  1. Participation in international seafood fairs

  2. Participation in domestic fairs
  3. Organising India International seafood Show (IISS) for seafood export sector
  4. Organising Aqua aquaria India (AAI) for aquaculture sector

  5. Organizing Trade Delegations, Buyer Seller Meets (BSM), Reverse Buyer Seller Meets (RBSM), Road shows and Stakeholder consultation meetings 

  6. Organizing export promotion visit of buyers/ experts/ Journalists etc.

  7. Branding & Advertisement of Indian seafood in various markets

  8. The printing of various publicity materials, production of short promotional videos, recipe videos and corporate videos, AR/VR Videos, production of artwork for publicity in print/digital media
  9. Publication of MPEDA Newsletter on a monthly basis
  10. Production and broadcasting of TV commercials and radio commercials.

  11. Market Research and Intelligence

  12. managing Social media handles of MPEDA viz., Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Koo and YouTube

  13. Strengthening & expanding Trade Promotion Offices of MPEDA abroad.  

The following services are rendered by Marketing Section for the benefit of the trade.

  1. Dissemination of market information & trade enquiries to trade
  2. Taking up problems/issues of the industry with appropriate agency / organizations working under Govt. of India.
  3. Redressal of quality and trade disputes.
  4. Providing suggestions / proposals for pre-budget exercise of the Union Government related to seafood sector.
  5. Providing comments for fixing of SION against Advance Authorization issued for marine products for import of ingredients for the purpose of availing duty exemption.
  6. Providing details for the Issue of export performance certificate for the duty free import of specified specialised inputs/chemicals and flavouring oils is allowed to the extent of 1% of FOB value of preceding financial year’s export.
  7. Providing comments/ inputs to the Govt. of India on negotiations pertaining to the bilateral and regional trade Agreements and for the review of concluded e agreements.
  8. Providing comments on SPS/TBT issues related to fish and fishery products.
  9. MPEDA has been designated as the authorized body for the issuance of R.C.M.C. (REGISTRATION-CUM-MEMBERSHIP CERTIFICATE) to exporters of seafood items.
  10.  

Statistics Division MPEDA is vital data and analysis solution provider section which has depository of marine products export data in electronic format since 1995-96. MPEDA currently has marine products export data stored in MS-SQL 2008 R2 server which connected to HO module via ODBC.

Following are the functions of the Statistics division:

  1. To collect marine products export data from export shipping bills via MPEDA’s field offices.
  2. To do required data cleaning and compilation of data received from field office at HO server. 
  3. To get provisional monthly data from field offices, compile it and after investigating factors of trade issues or prospective trade issues submitting monthly report to Ministry on or before 5th of every month.
  4. To provide marine products export data to MPEDA field offices, higher officials at HO, DoC, DoF, various government and non governmental departments and organizations, research institutes, students, NITI ayog etc. The data may have various fields viz. item, country, region, port, major item, unit value along with these fields’ permutation-combination since 1995-96 till latest.
  5. To provide export data, concept note, presentation, data analysis reports to other sections of MPEDA.
  6. The export data preparation is followed by data analysis, report preparation, data forecasting, presentation preparation for various meetings.
  7. Facilitate field offices of MPEDA to issue Country of origin certificates of 15 different trade agreement of preferential and non-preferential types.
  8. To provide exporter wise export details to field offices of MPEDA to issue duty free import certificates.
  9. To provide verification of COO certificate as per the request from importing nations.
  10. To provide monthly export performance report to DoC, MoCI.
  11. To provide action taken report to coordination section.
  12. To facilitate field offices to issue EU rex registration.
  13. To provide necessary inputs to e-stat web-based package whenever required to exporters/field offices/ other stakeholders.
  14. To research and report national/international trade data information and provide for project analysis from international websites.
  15. To ensure execution of critical trade Analysis of projects, including driving innovative implementation and insights.
  16. MPEDA has developed e-stat web-based package which provides exemplary data and graphical representation to concerned stakeholders from any location globally. 
  17. To perform quarterly , six months, nine months and yearly reconciliation of each registered exporter after necessary shipping bill level check. This is extensive activity involves multiple iterations at exporter and their shipping bill level.
  18. To do quarterly , six months, nine months and yearly press release of marine products exports.
  1. Promotion of seafood value addition through technology upgradation by the development of high end value added seafood products such as surimi analogues, freeze dried products, seafood dumplings, dimsum, breaded and battered products etc.
  1. Conducting hands on training programmes on Seafood value addition for the exporters/seafood processors/workers/supervisors of to create skilled work group for increasing value addition in seafood.
  1. Conducting studies on ‘Environmental impact of Effluent Discharges from Seafood Processing Plants and Control Measures’. The study aimed at assessing the effectiveness of the existing facilities in mitigating/preventing the pollution/impact on environment due to the liquid waste (effluent) discharge from seafood processing plants and to identify the feasible reuse options of the treated effluent. Beneficial to the seafood processors for rectifying/renovating and upgrading their ETPs for better environmental performance and to reduce the overall adverse impacts on the environment.
  2. Monitoring of periodical inspection/monitoring of the Processing Plants, Peeling Sheds, Ice Plants, Storage Premises, and Handling Centers to ensure maintenance of standards as per EU/GOI standards.
  3. Organizing workshop/meetings on value addition and giving inputs to the projects related to the Processing Infrastructure and value addition.
  1. Extending technical assistance to entrepreneurs for setting up of new seafood processing units / modernization of existing seafood processing units to achieve EU/GOI standards.
  1. Conducting study through third party to explore the various strategies for increasing value addition in seafood.

The major Trade Promotion Activities undertaken by MPEDA during 2020-21 is given below

  • DoC has fixed an export target of marine products worth USD 7.809 billion during the year 2021-22 and MPEDA fixed region wise targets and communicated to SEAI and Regional offices.
  • Issued 7325 Certificate of Origin documents to exporters in 2020-21.
  • MPEDA has participated virtually in 2 international seafood exhibitions at (JISTE) Japan and (SENAR) USA. MPEDA participated in 1 virtual domestic exhibition organised by CII.
  • Initiated online validation of DS 2031 certificates for shrimps to facilitate export to USA.
  • Established online Catch & ICCAT certification System to facilitate export to EU and other markets.
  • Total 56,031 catch certificates were validated to facilitate export of sea caught items to various markets including EU under the regulations on traceability and origin.
  • 58,928 DS 2031 certificates were issued towards the export of shrimps to the US, Canada and third country markets.
  • Conducting National Residue Control Monitoring program (NRCP) with respect to aquaculture shrimp for facilitating exports to EU.
  • Registering and monitoring various entities such as processing plants, storages, peeling shed, handling centres, conveyances used for transport of marine products, etc. involved in the export of Seafood from the country.
  • Providing financial assistance to exporters for setting up processing plants, storages, and handling Centers etc. as per the approved schemes.
  • Organized Trade Delegations to Japan, South Korea, Russia, China etc. and participated in other delegation visits to Vietnam, South Africa etc for increasing market access and enhanced market service.
  • Conducted Business meets with Thailand, Philippines and Saudi Arabia with the support of Embassies of India.
  • Communicated to 40 Embassies of India in selected markets to promote the seafood exports.
  • Projection of Indian marine products in overseas markets by participation International fairs and organising biennial seafood trade fair in association with exporters namely India International Seafood Show and also Aqua Aquaria India. Organized 3 editions of India International Seafood Show along with Seafood Exporters Association of India and 2 editions of Aqua Aquaria India, aquaculture show. 
  • MPEDA Conducted 25  Virtual Buyer Seller Meets (VBSMs) during 2020-21 with USA (2), Singapore (1), China (3), Maldives (1), Spain (3), Italy (1), Portugal (1), Netherlands (1), South Korea (1), Japan (1), Vietnam (1), Germany (2), Belgium (4), South Africa (1) & Kuwait (2) and 8 VBSM with Japan(3), Thailand (2), South Korea, Portugal and Qatar till Aug 2021.
  • MPEDA printed and published 9,000 copies of MPEDA newsletters (9 editions), 56,000 booklets on COVID Guidelines for seafood industry in English & Hindi.
  • MPEDA Published 6 Editions of Online Newsletter – MPEDA Waves and circulated to 12,000 peoples.
  • MPEDA has also released 26 domestic advertisements, 1 international advertisement in BBC World News as TV Commercial, 13 promotional videos and 8 press releases.
  • MPEDA is also active in social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Koo) from 2020 onwards with more than 40,000 followers/ subscribers and has done 1346 posts/tweets/ videos.
  • Two virtual workshops conducted on Soft Shell crab production & Export and on Live shrimp transportation involving 8 experts and 101 Indian exporters/ farmers.
  • Organised one webinar on “Export Performance of Marine Products during the first half of 2020-21”
  • Celebrated the World Statistics day on 20.10.2020 by organising a Webinar on the Theme ‘Connecting the World with the Data we can Trust’.
  • Increased Aquaculture Production of residue free shrimp by expanding the area under culture.
  • Commissioning of Multi Species Aquaculture Complex at Kochi in December 2018 for producing disease free seeds of Tiger Shrimp, Cobia, Seabass, Mud Crab etc., for supplying to the farmers in Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and entire Konkan belt.
  • Commissioning of the Nucleus Breeding Centre of Domestication of Tiger Shrimp Project and commencement of Multispecies Grouper Hatchery at Andaman on 28th February, 2014.
  • First Broodstock Multiplication Centre (BMC) for L. vannamei in India at Vizag during 2011 for rearing PPLs to broodstocks in Indian climatic condition and supply to Indian hatcheries.
  • Initiated Broodstock Multiplication Centre of P. monodon at Rajakkamangalam, Kanyakumari Dist., Tamil Nadu on 28th February, 2014.
  • First commercial aquaculture and cyst production of Artemia (Artemia franciscana) initiated in India during 2005. 
  • Promotion of diversification of aquaculture through demonstration of technology developed by RGCA for the export-oriented species since 1996 under the plan scheme. At present this centre is the Aquaculture Technology Incubation Centre of MPEDA full-filling the Atmanirbhar Bharat concept of Government of India.  The prominent species are seabass (Lates calcarifer), mangrove mud crab (Scylla serrata), cobia (Rachycentron canadum), silver pompano (Trachinotus blochii) and GIFT tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus).
  • Established state-of-the-art Technology Transfer Training and Administrative Complex at Sirkazhi, Tamil Nadu 2009. Conducting at least 40 no’s hands-on training programmes each year on nearly 10 different topics benefitting nearly 1000 beneficiaries to develop skilled manpower for aquaculture sector.
  • Established Aquatic Quarantine Facility (AQF) for shrimps during 2009 which is the only national facility for shrimp species.
  • Set up India’s first state-of-the-art NABL accredited Aquaculture Genetics and Aquaculture Pathology laboratories in India during 2011
  • Developed a certification programme for aquaculture farms and hatcheries, which is named as Shaphari for encouraging primary producers for responsible use of chemicals and pharmacologically active substances in hatcheries and to certify the units.
  • Providing financial assistance to entrepreneurs and farmers for establishing disease free and safe shrimp production facilities, for certifying  hatcheries and farms, for establishing hatcheries and farms for production of diversified species like Mud crab, GIFT, Seabass etc.
  • Regularly organizing capacity building programmes viz. trainings, farmers’ meet and awareness campaigns to sensitize primary producers on the significance of better management practices, species diversification and harmful impact of antibiotic issues.
  • State-wise initiatives to diversify the aquaculture have been taken; some of these initiatives are:-
    1. Introduction of cage culture & Satellite Breeding Centres for Tilapia fish at Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh, setting up hatchery for seabass & mud crab in Andhra Pradesh, Aquatic Quarantine Facility and Broodstock Multiplication Centre at Tuni, Vizag and promoting mangrove mud crab farming in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
    2. MPEDA in collaboration with government of Maharashtra has planned to set up a Mud crab hatchery at Sindhudurg for the Konkan fisheries development.
  • Organized stakeholder meetings to sensitize them on US Seafood Import Monitoring Programme (SIMP).
  • MPEDA gives comments on Product Specific Rules, tariff rates relaxation and Rules of Origin under various trade agreements and trade meetings. Provided suggestions to NITI Aayog for formulation of a policy paper on export fisheries, provided inputs and suggestions to department of fisheries to do away with the requirement of Sanitary Import Permit (SIP) for import for re-export, provided inputs for New Foreign Trade Policy and Industrial Policy, comments and details to MoCI on imposition of Anti-Dumping Duty on Indian shrimp by US.
  • Under Section 609, the finalization of fine-tuned CIFT-TED design is in progress with US Dept. of State.
  • Based on MPEDA intervention, Union Budget for the year 2020-21 has announced to develop five major fishing harbours – Kochi, Chennai, Vishakapatnam, Paradip and Petuaghat as a hub of economic activity. 
  • MPEDA and Cochin Port Trust have signed MoU for formation of SPV for modernization of Cochin Fisheries Harbour. 
  • For filing comparability finding application to USA before 30th November 2021, CMFRI funded by MPEDA is conducting Marine Mammal stock assessment study as per US MMPA.  
  • For ease of doing business, MPEDA developed online platform to validate export facilitation certificates such as Catch Certificate, ICCAT, DS 2031 certificates, Non-Radio Activity Certificate, Certificate of Legal origin, Duty Free Import Certificates and Registration cum Membership Certificates. 
  • Organized several exporters meet with Union Territory of Lakshadweep Administration with respect to promotion of tuna exports from the Island and branding of Lakshadweep Tuna.
  • Based on the MPEDA intervention, Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Thailand has reduced the advance reporting time to 36 hours for fishing vessels sailing from Andaman & Nicobar to Thailand for promotion of seafood exports from Island. 
  • Proposal submitted for reduction of Customs duty 15% to 0% for fish meal and soya bean meal in order to reduce the fishing pressure and promote the aquaculture industry. 
  • Through relentless efforts secured a reduction in the import inspection of Black tiger shrimp consignments in Japan for antibiotics, in 2020.
  • Established microbiology –cum – molecular biology laboratory at Kochi to test seafood samples.
  • Established new Quality Control laboratory at Porbandar in Gujarat to test fish and fishery products, in 2020. With this lab, now MPEDA operates total five Quality Control Labs.
  • Established four new ELISA screening labs at Pattukottai (Tamil Nadu), Bapatla (Andhra Pradesh) Contai & Haroa (West Bengal). With these four ELISA Labs, now MPEDA operates a total 16 ELISA Screening labs.
  • Organized 8 hands on training workshops on seafood value addition for 159 processing workers across maritime states with the help of national and international experts.
  • Organized brainstorming sessions for the State Fisheries Departments on first mile connectivity gaps in Capture fisheries.
  • Organized training programmes for seafood processing workers under Pradhan Manthri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) to cover 6000 workers.
  • Organized 17 tuna long line training programmes for fishermen of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh to equip them to catch tuna fish by long line technique and to improve the handling and preservation of the fish on board fishing vessel in order to improve the quality and price realization.
  • MPEDA is in the process of preparing training video for Value added products (VAP) to train the workers in processing plants for increasing the share of value added exports from India. These videos will be streamed via webinar and used as an online tool for training and up skilling the workforce of Indian Seafood Industry. MPEDA is providing hands on training programs on seafood value addition every year. In the present COVID-19 pandemic situation, the virtual VAP training will help create expertise in value addition of Seafood particularly shrimps, cephalopods and fish and make awareness on technology and innovation used by countries like Vietnam and Thailand.
  • Enhanced the livelihood of 100 SC fishermen families in Vaikom region, Kerala by equipping them with fishing implements such as fishing crafts, gears and engines and solar dryers, 64 SC fishers in Udupi district, Karnataka by providing 300 nos. of crates and 4 nos. of HDPE Trawl nets with square mesh cod ends and SC fishers in West Bengal by providing 62 nos. of Insulated Fish Boxes (70 litres capacity) making them to adopt chill killing / chill washing practices in fishing vessels so as to reduce post-harvest loss and generate more income.
  • To comply with the market & import country requirements, a database on Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle by-catch was generated by conducting 6408 fishermen interview surveys in 138 harbours across the maritime states as part of MPEDA-CMFRI joint programme.
  • To sensitize the issues such as Juvenile fishing, IUU, Traceability, Vessel monitoring, harbour development and MFRA regulations among the major players of the sector and to formulate methodologies for the implementation of MFRA regulations and amending the existing MFRA of the state for better management,  5 nos. of online workshops entitled “The Refinement of Marine Fisheries Management in West Coast of India” were conducted for Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka and Kerala states.
  • To develop the skill for preparation of different value-added Cephalopod products for export, 6 nos. of ‘Hands-on training programmes were organized in 6 EU approved fish processing units in Purba Medinipur and Howrah districts in West Bengal. Each training was of 2 days duration, and a total of 147 trainees including manager, technologists, supervisors and high-end skilled workers of the processing units were benefitted by the trainings.