The Ministry of Fisheries has reported 2021 as a record-breaking year for the Sri Lankan Fisheries Sector.
In a statement, State Minister of Fisheries Kanchana Wijesekara said 2021 has been a year of challenges and records for the Sri Lankan Fisheries Sector.
The records have been set despite facing the challenges of the Peliyagoda cluster, domestic Covid lockdowns, lockdowns in overseas markets, freight costs tripling, the XPressPearl maritime disaster, and the floods in the Puttalam District.
Following are the records achieved by the Fisheries Sector stakeholders and the officials working together:
1. The highest export value in history – USD 318 Million (USD 215 Million in 2020).
2. The largest balance of fish trade in history – USD 192 Million (USD 23 Million in 2020).
3. The lowest import value and quantity in over a decade – USD 126 Million and 56,176 MT (USD 191 Million and 85,809 MT in 2020).
4. Highest production of shrimp farming in history – Almost double from the previous Highest quantity – 14,415 MT.
5. An increase of 162% in shrimp export value.
6. An increase of 74% in exports value of ornamental fishery – USD 21 Million.
7. More than doubled the domestic canned fish production –
Domestic production increased from 90,000 cans per day in 2020 Dec to 220,000 cans per day in Dec 2021. Domestic requirement is about 275,000 cans per day.
8. A decrease of 76.2% in imports of canned fish from 2019 –
2019 canned fish imports were 36,806 MT and 2021 canned fish imports were 8758 MT.
(NewsWire)