The president of the Seafood Exporters Association of India (SEAI), Jagdish Fofandi, has spoken about the importance of boosting and integrating aquaculture in India, concretely in advance shrimp farming.
The Indian seafood market is increasingly pushing the figures to the millions. By 2021-22, India had exported 17,35,286 MT of seafood products worth USD 8.09 billion (EUR 7,42 billion), a record for seafood exports both in terms of volume and value.
Thus, Fofandi clarified to The Hindu that the aquaculture industry required additional initiatives and support. In this context, he explained that aquaculture is not only suitable land but also a conducive ecosystem for operations. He mentioned several crucial factors, such as the availability of high-quality seed, feed, and reasonable electricity charges. Parts significantly contribute to the success of aquaculture ventures.
He specifically highlighted the potential of shrimp as one of the most profitable segments in the seafood industry. However, he acknowledged that its full potential is yet to be realized. Firstly, India lags behind Thailand and Vietnam due to not meeting certain fishery requirements set by a major buyer, the U.S. Secondly, not all geographical areas of India, like Kerala, engage in shrimp farming, thereby constraining its overall contribution.
Thus, Fofandi explained, "The Indian industry should have a level playings field like Ecuador, which has advanced in shrimp farming, and Vietnam and Thailand in terms of wild catch." To this end, creating an ecosystem is a focal point and one of Fofandi's claims to upgrade the country.