Seafood sector to showcase achievements at India International Seafood Show
Kolkata to play host to the biennial showcase of the seafood sector in February next
Over the past few years, the seafood sector in the country has had registered tremendous strides. In a bid to showcase this exponential growth, the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) will exhibit all its facets by organising the 23rd edition of India International Seafood Show (IISS) in Kolkata from February 15-17 next year. The event will be organised in association with the Seafood Exporters Association of India (SEAI).
The India International Seafood Show is expected to provide an opportunity to manufacturers and suppliers to display their products and clinch business deals for their processing machinery, packaging systems, processing ingredient dealers and cold chain systems. In addition, there will be an opening for service providers like the logistics and certifying/testing segments.
Seafood show to offer platform for interactions
According to MPEDA Chairman Dr K N Raghavan, the biennial showpiece event in the seafood sector, which will get underway at the sprawling Biswa Bangala Mela Prangan in Kolkata, will provide an ideal platform for interaction between Indian exporters and overseas importers of the country’s marine products.
The event also provides a huge scope for tapping new avenues and introducing various technologies and products to the global market. Another objective is to highlight the country’s commitment towards sustainability in the entire value chain of seafood products such as primary production, processing and transportation. It will also deliberate on new techniques in processing and traceability and value addition to products for export.
SEAI National President Jagadeesh Fofandi opined that the India International Seafood Show has emerged as one of the major seafood shows globally. “IISS 2023 will highlight the technological advances and sustainable practices followed in seafood processing sector in the country. Indian seafood processors have made it big in the sustainable league with the cooperation from the fishing and farming sectors. In addition, the processing industry is always looking to upgrade its technological backup for value addition,” he added.
The event will have over 350 stalls spread over 7,000 sq m of space, showcasing a wide range of products based on automated and IT aided technology, and energy-efficient systems for value addition. There will also be technical sessions by national and international experts who will brainstorm on chalking out measures that would give a further impetus to seafood exports from the country.
India seafood exports worth $ 7.76 bn in 21-22
The delegates would include seafood processors, buyers and stakeholders from other related sectors representing firms from India and aboard. It is also planned to have buyer delegations from countries focused on mutual tie-ups in the area of seafood processing and value addition.
In 2021-22, India had exported 13,69,264 tons of marine products worth US$ 7.76 billion, registering an all-time high export by value, while production of shrimp crossed one million MT. With a multipronged strategy, addressing capture fisheries and aquaculture, the export turnover is likely to achieve US$ 15 billion in next five years. Sustainable fishing methods, value addition and increased aquaculture production through diversification are expected to support the ambitious target set for exports.
