U.S. attacks create shock waves in seafood industry

By Ignatius Pereira

KOLLAM, SEPT. 17. Last week's airborne terrorism in the United States has created shocks in the seafood industry here. The industry is in panic as export of shrimp varieties has been hit. At least four major Chennai-based shrimp exporters who make bulk purchases from here have suspended all operations until September 30. These are units which mainly export value-added shrimp products to the U.S.

This has resulted in shrimp stocks piling up at most processing units and there are virtually no buyers for the catches. Shrimp trawling operations in neighbouring Tamil Nadu have already been suspended for two weeks on account of the developments.

The prices of the current season's deep sea prawns (pullen konju) have fallen to less than Rs. 12 a kilogram at the Shakthikulangara and Neendakara fishing harbours here. As processing units continue to ignore the catches, the prices, it is feared, would fall further. And it would not be surprising if the shrimp trawling activities here are suspended.

The deep sea prawns are the variety harvested by the mechanised fishing sector here during this part of the year. However, trawling this variety is much expensive compared to the same operation required for other varieties. And a minimum price of at least Rs. 50 for pullen konju on a kilogram is required for earning a decent profit.

Boat operators have to spend at least four to five days in the sea to harvest and bring a load of this variety. It was those who went last week who have started arriving, only to get the shock of the price fall generated by the aviation terrorism in the U.S.

If trawling is suspended it would bring all activities at the twin fishing harbours here to a standstill. That too at a time when boat operators were just recovering after the 45-day ban on trawling which ended in July.

Though Japan is the biggest importer, in terms of value of marine products, the U.S. is the major importer of the prawn and shrimp varieties. The developments there have began shattering the hopes of the seafood industry.

Uncertainty over the fate of rupee against dollar in the present weak sentiments in the currency market is seen as one of the prime reasons for the present developments.

It is understood that seafood exporters are not willing to take any risks by trading the products with the U.S. at this juncture. However, there are others in the field who feel that the panic would soon be overcome since the processing units here have all along remained underutilised due to constant lack of sufficient raw material supply compared to the processing capacity available. Despite these arguments a pall of gloom has already set in over the fishing sector here.

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Section  : Southern States
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