Seafood from Andhra to be costlier in Telangana?.

​HYDERABAD: Andhra Pradesh contributes to a substantial 35-40% of the total marine exports from India currently. Post-split, the new state of Telangana will have a zero share in the massive exports as all the fish and fish products mainly shrimps going to foreign nations, mostly the US and European Union, come from coastal AP.

According to officials from the fisheries department, nearly 70% of the fish production in the united state of AP happens in the coastal AP region besides a nominal production in Rayalaseema region. The rest 30% of the fish production happens in the landlocked Telangana region which is way too less to even meet the domestic consumption levels. The new state will have to depend on coastal AP to fill the gap.

"Now there will be two states instead of one state. With more checkposts and taxes, we are expecting that the prices would shoot up by 15-20% in Telangana," said M Basvaraju, additional director, fisheries department. He added that due to the immense potential, the new government in the residual AP may take much more interest in getting funds for the development of marine sector, he added.

Interestingly, the residual state of AP has the second longest coastline (of 972 kilometres (604 ml) among all the states of India after Gujarat. ""Coastal AP is a foreign exchange earner to the country. Revenues from the marine sector have crossed Rs 18,000 crore and of this, 35-40% of the share comes from coastal AP,"" said V Padmanabham, national vice president of the Sea Food Exporters Association of India.

Besides the US and European Union, exports are going to the Middle East, South East Asia, small quantity to Russia and parts of South Africa too. In the country, most of the produce from AP is going to West Bengal, Assam, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh.

"Domestic rates depend on the inter-state understanding. If there is an inter-state tax, it may lead to price rise. As against earlier, now what is coming from coastal AP to Telagnana is from a different state," added Padmanabham.

Activists said there is immense potential for the residual state of Andhra Pradesh to develop its marine wealth. "Andhra Pradesh has a very good chance to develop the marine sector but it has to be done in a manner that conservation efforts in the ocean are respected," said Pradeep Nath of Visakha Society for Protection and Care of Animals.

Source : timesofindia.indiatimes.com