brand logo

Fish export earnings up $ 100 m YoY in 2021

27 Jan 2022

  • Shrimp exports grow 162%
By Imsha Iqbal  Amidst the turbulent circumstances due to the prevailing pandemic, the fisheries sector of Sri Lanka has been able to earn $ 318 million during 2021, which is the highest export value from the sector thus far and over $ 100 million more than the previous year’s record.  State Minister of Ornamental Fish, Inland Fish, and Prawn Farming, Fishery Harbour Development, Multi-Day Fishing Activities, and Fish Exports Kanchana Wijesekera stated: “With the challenges of the Peliyagoda cluster, domestic Covid-19 lockdowns, lockdowns in overseas markets, freight costs tripling, the X-Press Pearl maritime disaster, and the floods in the Puttalam District, the fisheries sector stakeholders and the officials working together have managed to record the highest export value in history – $ 318 million.”  In accordance with 2020 statistics, it was reported that the export revenue from the aforesaid sector was $ 215 million. When it comes to shrimp farming, it was also equally significant owing to the highest production being recorded during the mentioned year with almost double the previous quantity – 14,415 MT.  Wijesekera pointed out that there is, in fact, an increase of 162% in shrimp export value. At the same time, 74% of the export value was increased in ornamental fisheries with $ 21 million revenue and the domestic canned fish production increased from 90,000 cans per day in December 2020 to 220,000 cans per day in December 2021.  Accordingly, a decrease of 76.2% in imports of canned fish has been reported from 2019. In 2019, canned fish imports amounted to 36,806 MT, whereas in 2021, canned fish imports had remained at 8,758 MT.


More News..