Shrimp farmers in the state are a worried lot as export of their produce to Japan, one of the major buyer countries of the seafood, has been severely hit since the past two months after the Japanese authorities detected ethoxiquin in the shrimps, a quinoline-based antioxidant used as a preservative and a pesticide, and have been refusing to buy the produce since.
"Odisha has been affected badly as around 60% of our shrimp is exported to Japan," said G Mohanty, president of Odisha Seafood Exporters Association.
Exporters are not procuring more shrimps from farmers as they already have heavy stocks. As a result, shrimp farmers are forced to distress sale their produce to the middlemen of Andhra Pradesh. Seafood exporters in the neighbouring state export the shrimp to USA and European countries in larger quantities, sources said. In the face of heavy losses, small and middle category shrimp producers re unlikely to take up prawn culture next year.
"Not only seafood exporters, but shrimp farmers in the state will also be badly affected if the situation persists for a few more months," said A Chandra Sekhar Rao, a shrimp producer in Ganjam district.
Seafood exporters have urged chief minister Naveen Patnaik to intervene in the matter and take up the issue with the Centre for an early solution of the issue. "The issue can be solved only after the prime minister of the country takes up the matter with his Japanese counterpart," said Mohanty. He pointed out the issue has remained unresolved even after an official delegation discussed the matter with Japanese officials recently.
"We are aware of the fact and will discuss the issue with higher authorities for its early solution," said the state's commissioner-cum-secretary, fishery and animal resources department, Satyabrata Sahu. Other government officials, however, said except Japan the export has not hit other countries.
Odisha exported seafood worth around Rs 800 crore last year.
"Odisha has been affected badly as around 60% of our shrimp is exported to Japan," said G Mohanty, president of Odisha Seafood Exporters Association.
Exporters are not procuring more shrimps from farmers as they already have heavy stocks. As a result, shrimp farmers are forced to distress sale their produce to the middlemen of Andhra Pradesh. Seafood exporters in the neighbouring state export the shrimp to USA and European countries in larger quantities, sources said. In the face of heavy losses, small and middle category shrimp producers re unlikely to take up prawn culture next year.
"Not only seafood exporters, but shrimp farmers in the state will also be badly affected if the situation persists for a few more months," said A Chandra Sekhar Rao, a shrimp producer in Ganjam district.
Seafood exporters have urged chief minister Naveen Patnaik to intervene in the matter and take up the issue with the Centre for an early solution of the issue. "The issue can be solved only after the prime minister of the country takes up the matter with his Japanese counterpart," said Mohanty. He pointed out the issue has remained unresolved even after an official delegation discussed the matter with Japanese officials recently.
"We are aware of the fact and will discuss the issue with higher authorities for its early solution," said the state's commissioner-cum-secretary, fishery and animal resources department, Satyabrata Sahu. Other government officials, however, said except Japan the export has not hit other countries.
Odisha exported seafood worth around Rs 800 crore last year.
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