India's tremendous strides in the seafood sector will be exhibited in all its facets as the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA), in association with the Seafood Exporters Association of India (SEAI), will hold the 23rd edition of India International Seafood Show (IISS) in Kolkata from February 15-17, 2023.
MPEDA Chairman Dr. K N Raghavan said the biennial showpiece event in the seafood sector, to be held 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.
"It will also 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," he said in a statement.
New avenues
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 Agadeesh Fofandi said the IISS has emerged as one of the major seafood shows globally.
The event will have over 350 stalls spread over 7,000 sqm, 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.
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.
During 2021-22, India exported 13,69,264 tons of marine products worth $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 $15 billion in next five years, the statement said.
Sustainable fishing methods, value addition and increased aquaculture production through diversification are expected to support the ambitious target set for exports, it added.