Karnataka slips to 3rd place in marine exports According to data submitted by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry in the Lok Sabha, the state’s export volume dipped from 2.984 lakh tonnes in 2022-23 to 2.735 lakh tonnes in 2023-24.
According to data submitted by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry in the Lok Sabha, the state’s export volume dipped from 2.984 lakh tonnes in 2022-23 to 2.735 lakh tonnes in 2023-24. The decline in marine products is attributed to drought and increase in sea temperature. Two other coastal states Goa and Kerala have seen a similar decline.
However, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat, the top two, have bucked the trend by taking up commercial farming of marine shrimp in a big way. Andhra Pradesh exported 3.870 lakh tonnes in 2022-23 and 4.272 lakh tonnes in 2023-24.
Gujarat, previously placed third, climbed one place with exports rising from 2.934 lakh tonnes in 2022-23 to 3.451 lakh tonnes in 2023-24.
India’s seafood exports hit an all-time of 18.19 lakh tonnes in 2023-24 against 17.54 lakh tonnes in 2022-23.
Around 70 per cent of frozen shrimp came from shrimp farming (raising shrimp in freshwater or marine environments) spread over 71,921 hectares in Andhra Pradesh, according to sources in Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA). In Karnataka, aquaculture production is limited to 970.39 hectares.
Frozen shrimp continued to be the major item of export in terms of quantity and value, accounting for a share of 40.19 per cent in quantity and 66.12 per cent of the total earnings. Frozen shrimp exports during the period increased by 0.69 per cent, from 7,11,099 tonnes to 7,16,004 tonnes.
Karnataka’s marine fish production in 2023-24 was 5,42,675 tonnes, a dip by 25 per cent when compared to marine fish production in 2022-23 (7,30,104 tonnes).