Exports 



Statistics on exports of shrimp from India are not available. 

 It is understood that dried shrimp is exported to Asian markets, princi- 

 pally Burma, Hong Kong, and Singapore, Exports of frozen shrimp to the 

 United States have increased in recent years. One firm in Kozhikode is 

 reported to have e>5)orted about 90,000 pounds of shrimp (half ocean and 

 half fresh-water shrimp) to the United States over a period of a few 

 months since September 1955, and another at Emakulan is reported to be 

 exporting about twice this quantity of fresh-water shrimp annually. 



As Indian shrimp are reported to be similar in quality and 

 flavor to the shrimp sold in United States markets, there seems to be 

 good prospects for building up this trade with the United States, par- 

 ticularly if efforts are made to exploit the shrimp resources in deeper 

 waters. In 1956 United States imported 1,012,185 potinds of shrimp 

 valued at $Ul9,10^j a^^ 1,251,916 pounds valued at $539,896 in 1957. 



Governmental regulations 



The only regulations pertaining to shrimp fishing in India are 

 those in respect to paddyfield fishing, which is permitted from November 

 to March, and which is regulated primarily in the interest of rice 

 cultivation. 



Government assistance 



The various State Governments are reported to have provided 

 substantial sums to the fishing industry, but little has been specifically 

 designated to aid shrimp fishing. The Bombay Government is not making any 

 special effort to foster a shrimp industry in that State; it apparently 

 has adopted the view that shrimp in the inshore and offshore waters of 

 the Bombay coast are not sufficiently abundant to justify it. Commercial 

 exploitation of shrimp in the offshore and deep-sea waters is regarded as 

 a project that should be undertaken by private industry. 



The neighboring governments of Kutch and Saurashtra, on the 

 other hand, have been actively engaged in collecting statistics on shrimp 

 landings with the object of formulating a shrimp-fishing program. The 

 Saurashtra Government is also experimenting with a new curing method 

 which involves the partial d2r;y-ing of shrimp. VJhile the shrimp dried by 

 the traditional method are said to be of a dirty-white color, under the 

 improved method the product has an attractive orange color, is almost 

 odorless, and has more meat. The Fisheries Department of the govemraent 

 of Kutch is planning to organize fishing cooperatives and to provide 

 technical education to fishermen. In Andhra, no assistance is given to 

 the indastiy by the State Goveminent, but the Travancore-Cochin Govern- 

 ment assists cooperative societies in the production and export of shrimp 

 by granting loans for these purposes. The Madras Government supplies 



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