On an average, the fall is up to 30 cents a day, exporters in Chennai say. In September, the 16/20 size of shrimps had fetched $16.80-17 a kg. By October 22, the price has nosedived to $12.80-12.90.

``It is expected to fall further'', traders say. The shrimp farmers, who got over Rs 450 a kg last month, are getting less than Rs 300 now. The 16/20 varieties indicate the base price. Based on their price, the prices of other varieties 21/25 or 8/10 is decided. The varieties are fixed according to the number of shrimps needed to make a pound.

The prices of 21/25 varieties also have gone down from $15.30 to $10.90 a kg. Similarly, the prices of headless white, headless flower, sea tiger, pink or brown has declined to $13.50 from $16-16.20 a kg last month.

The reasons stated are the crisis in the Japanese economy and over supply from the South East Asian countries .

``They are willing to sellat any price, especially the exporters in Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam'', traders say.

In fact, the catch of Indian cultured shrimp has gone down from the average of about 4,000 tonnes in September to 3,000-3,500 tonnes this month. The extend of the loss in Andhra Pradesh could not be estimated now as large areas of shrimp farms were destroyed in the recent floods there. According reports from Andhra Pradesh, over 60,000 acres engaged in prawn culture along the coast, had been submerged in flood waters.

Exporters buy shrimps from Krishna, West Godavari, Prakasam and Nellore districts of the state.

Industry sources in Hyderabad had said that shrimps, in most of the farms, were ready for harvest. Some farms had just stocked the seed.

The prices for raw shrimps also have gone down drastically. The shrimp farmers got Rs 460 a kg in September. This month, the prices are around Rs 300 only. This is despite the production loss and lower amount of catches.``Even Rs 300 is not a workable price in thecontext of the daily falling export prices.

The Japanese buyers are knocking down prices and if they do not get at the desired prices they withdraw from the market. With very few American enquires, the US is the other major shrimp importer from India, the exporters are forced to toe the Japanese line'', trade sources said.

Traders do not expect a favourable change in the near future. The price fall is linked to external factors like the economic conditions of the major consumers and the extra supplies from other countries.

In the first quarter of 1998-99, April-June, 23,240 tonnes of frozen shrimp were exported against 22,145 tonnes in the same period last year. In value terms, the increase was worth Rs 208.35 crore from Rs 626.65 crore to Rs 835 crore.

The share of frozen shrimp in the total marine products exports worth Rs 1,100 crore in the first quarter of 1998-99 had increased to 76 per cent from 69.04 per cent. The total fish export in 1997-98 first quarter was to the tune of Rs 907.63crore.

In quantity terms, the increase was from 29.43 per cent to 34.89 per cent.