Indian Black Tiger Shrimps Promotion

The Agreement was signed by Ms. Leena Nair, Chairperson, MPEDA and Mr. James Butch Vidrine, Vice President, SYSCO (USA).

Earlier, SYSCO submitted a detailed proposal for promotion of Indian Black Tiger Shrimp through its network by branding it as MPEDA PORTICO shrimps. The proposal contains three phases of brand promotion. The total estimated expenditure for the entire promotion programme is $2,308,450, of which 50 per cent will be borne by SYSCO.

Speaking on the occasion, Ms. Nair informed that the export of marine products from India reached an all time high of Rs.86.08 billion during the year 2008-09. During this period 602,835 MTs of seafood products were exported. There was an increase of 11.29 per cent in terms of quantity and a 12.95 per cent increase in rupee earning compared to the exports during the previous year. “This was a creditable achievement for the Indian Seafood Industry considering the great recession which has shaken even the strongest economies in the world. Right policies and interventions by Government of India / MPEDA and the pro-active role played by the industry helped in achieving the positive growth in exports for the fifth consecutive year in the most trying circumstances” Ms. Nair reiterated.

During the signing ceremony, Ms. Leena Nair said that once the Indian Black Tiger brand is established, export of other products will also get a major boost because of better brand image of seafood exported from India.

During 2008-09, Frozen Shrimp continued to be the major export item accounting for 44 per cent of the total export earnings. Fish, the principal export item in quantity terms and the second largest export item in value, accounted for a share of about 40 per cent in quantity and 20 per cent in export earnings. Frozen fish recorded an export growth of about 8 per cent in quantity, 32 per cent in rupee value and 15 per cent in dollar earnings.

Frozen cuttlefish contributed eight per cent in quantity and about nine per cent in value terms to the export basket. Export of frozen squid grew very remarkably registering a growth of 67 per cent in quantity, 55 per cent in rupee terms and 41 per cent in US dollar terms respectively. All other items also recorded a growth in exports during 2008-09.

While Shrimp constitutes about 44 per cent of the total exports from India with a value of US$839 million yet it has been showing a downward trend over the last few years - from its all time high of $394 million in 2002-03 it came down to $152 million in 2008-09.

Apart from declining production, the other major reason for this has been the lack of a brand image for the Indian Tiger Shrimp in the international market, especially in USA.