Seafood industry gears up for growth with duty-free boost

Rajkot: The coastal town of Veraval is abuzz with optimism as new measures to ease import rules for seafood processing inputs promise to give Gujarat's marine export industry a major lift. Known as the nerve centre of the state's fisheries trade, Veraval handles nearly 5 lakh metric tonnes of marine catch every year, transforming ribbon fish, pomfret, tuna, Bombay duck, and other local species into high-quality exports that reach tables across the globe.Marine exporters in Veraval welcomed the move to increase the limit of duty-free imports for specialised inputs used in seafood processing from 1% to 3% of the previous year's export turnover. Finance experts and industry representatives said this step would lower production costs, improve profit margins and boost competitiveness in international markets.Gujarat, with its longest coastline, has emerged as a major hub for marine exports, accounting for around 10% of India's total shipments. While fishing activity stretches from Valsad to Okha, nearly all the catch is landed at Veraval, home to over 125 seafood processing units. Exporters rely on nearly 18 specialised imported items — including packaging materials, food-grade chemicals, and coating powders — to meet international quality and safety standards.Jagdish Fofoandi, former president of the Seafood Exporters Association of India, called the announcement a long-awaited relief. "This was a long-standing request from exporters, and we are happy the government accepted it. It will give a major boost to marine exports," he said.Industry stakeholders say the benefits will not only help exporters but also trickle down to fishermen, ensuring better prices for marine catch and creating more demand along the coast. With production costs set to drop and international competitiveness rising, Veraval's seafood trade is poised for stronger growth in the coming months.