ISLAMABAD: The country’s sea food exports to European Union (EU) have witnessed growth and increased to $2.47 million during January-September 2014 as compared to $2.12 million during the same period in 2013.
The trade statistics for January-September 2014 indicate that EU had delisted all the companies exporting fish from Pakistan in 2007 which was primarily done on account of failure to meet EU’s Sanitary and Phytosanitray (SPS) measures. As a result, there was no export of Sea Food to EU during 2007-2013 but due to efforts of government i.e. Ministry of Commerce and Marine Fisheries Department (MFD), EU lifted the ban in June 2013. Two exporting establishments are now being allowed to export to EU member states.
As per details, Ministry of Commerce is actively supporting Marine Fisheries Department which has been declared by EU as the `Competent Authority’ from Pakistan to certify consignments before the exports. Marine Fisheries Department is endeavouring to upgrade five more companies to make them ready for export. Both MFD and Ministry of Commerce are cognizant that interceptions of consignments not meeting the EU standards can once again lead to a ban and it will then take years to have it lifted.
The measures taken to comply with EC’s SPS standards included modernisation of laboratory services of Marine Fisheries Department and accreditation of MFD’s Microbiology and Chemical Labs. The other measure was improvement of fishing vessels/ hygiene practices, improvement of landing/auction sites, improvement of fish processing plants, strengthening of fishery products production chain supervision and harmonisation of standards. Four boats were modified as modular boats and around 200 fishermen’s boats have been modified under the improvement plan.
