Gifted with a coastline of 7517 km, extensive river and canal system of about 195.210 km, consisting of 14 major rivers, 44 medium rivers, and pond & tank resources at 2.36 million hectare and numerous other small rivers and stream, India has a huge potential for the seafood industry. Riding on a robust demand for its seafood in international markets, India exported 11,34,948 MT of seafood worth an all time high of Rs.37,870.90 crore in 2016-17 as against 9,45,892 tons and $4.69 billion a year earlier.

Contributing to these regard with a turnover of Rs.150 crore, a 1971 established company called Harbour Exports has earned recognition of being the Best MSME in India’s seafood industry. Exporting and supplying seafood across India and Middle East, its uncompromising quality and high standards of business have made reputed hospitality industry, restaurant chains, caterers and flight kitchens as its major clientele. “We have served VIPs like Sir Ratan Tata, Shri Subroto Roy Sahara, Mr Adi Godrej, TRS Oberoi, chairman of Oberoi Group of Hotel and hotel chains like

Taj, the Oberoi, Trident, The Leela,
JW Mariott, Sky Gourmet, Sahar India and Blue Foods among many others,” says Irfan Khan, Director, Harbour Exports.

Harbour Exports uncompromising quality and high standards of business have made reputed hospitality industry, restaurant chains, caterers and flight kitchens as its major clientele

Quality Care Measures
Harbour Exports deals with ample varieties of seafood in India including Prawns, Lobsters, Crabs, Mussel Clams & Oysters, Fishes, Squid, Cuttlefish, Octopus, Pomfret and so on. The firm specializes in live catch of crabs and few fishes like coral trout, Himalayan trout and also sand lobsters. This ISO 9001:2015 certified company delivers products that are packed hygienically, and uses glass freezers and state-of-the-art IQF & treatment plants to clean, devein, filter and cut in a particular size at customers’ desire and will. These products are taken to the end users in refrigerated vans owned by the company and also transported through cargo, and airlines. Harbour Exports has over the years built a strong relationship with people across India who specifically serve them with exclusive live seafood.

The Process
Adhering to HACCP and bearing a license from FSSAI and Bombay Ports, the company collects the seafood at the coasts, for e.g. Gujarat, Mumbai, Orissa & Vishakhapatnam. Having units spread across the coastlines, the seafood is then collected in crates and sent to the storage units where it is stored at a certain temperature. Further, it is sorted and sent to the factory. However, a major issue with these factories are the smell of seafood that spoils the goods. But Harbour Exports eliminates such smell using high-quality chemicals that leaves no track of pop up or odour. During the time of monsoons when fishing is not possible, the company sources the sea food from Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Vizag and at times from Odisha. Being aware that the transportation is going to take time, Harbour Exports take the air way and delivers it to the customers within a specific time.

The company has a ten day training program for employees wherein they let them observe about the know-how and practical aspects of the process, hygiene maintenance, and staff handling. This ensures that the process doesn’t derail and influence the process. Spread across Mumbai, Delhi, Chandigarh, Bangalore, Dubai & Qatar. Harbour Exports is going to launch frozen sea food products with its 10 best products across supermarkets (already working with Godrej & Tata Star Bazaar). The company is also planning to come up with delivery system of premarinated sea food in all metro & tier II cities.