Commerce Ministry wants to build confidence in quality, antibiotic-free shrimp products from India for the global market.
- The Marine Products Exports Development Authority (MPEDA) has developed a certification scheme for aquaculture products called ‘Shaphari’, a Sanksrit word that means the superior quality of fishery products suitable for human consumption.
- Frozen shrimp is India’s largest exported seafood item. It constituted 50.58% in quantity and 73.2% in terms of total U.S. dollar earnings from the sector during 2019-20.
- Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Odisha, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu are India’s major shrimp producing States, and around 95% of the cultured shrimp produce is exported.
- The Shaphari scheme is based on the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization’s technical guidelines on aquaculture certification
- It will have two components — certifying hatcheries for the quality of their seeds and, separately, approving shrimp farms that adopt the requisite good practices.
- The certification of hatcheries will help farmers easily identify good quality seed producers.
- Those who successfully clear multiple audits of their operations shall be granted a certificate for a period of two years.
Frozen shrimp export potential
- Frozen shrimp is India’s largest exported seafood item. It constituted 50.58% in quantity and 73.2% in terms of total U.S. dollar earnings from the sector during 2019-20.
- India exported frozen shrimp worth almost $5 billion in 2019-20, with the U.S. and China its the biggest buyers.
- Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Odisha, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu are India’s major shrimp producing States, and around 95% of the cultured shrimp produce is exported.
- MPEDA is a nodal coordinating, state-owned agency engaged in fishery production and allied activities.
- It was established in 1972 under the Marine Products Export Development Authority Act (MPEDA), 1972.
- It functions under the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
- It is headquartered in Kochi, Kerala.
- Its mandate is to increase exports of seafood including fisheries of all kinds, specifying standards, marketing, processing, extension and training in various aspects.