Tough EU Measures Sink Indian Seafood Exports

The estimated value of scampi fell by 52 per cent and stood at Rs 2,050,000,000, says TheEconomicTimes.

According to the news organisation, there have been nearly 24 export rejections by the EU so far since January 2009. While nearly 19 rejections have been with respect to scampi, about 20 to 21 were in the consignments from Andhra Pradesh.

Almost all the rejection was due to the use of nitrofuran, a banned antibiotic, which the farmers are using in the hatcheries and farms. A joint meeting of the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA), the inspection agency, the exporters and the farmers conducted in Vishakhapatnam since Thursday has stressed the need for the registration of hatcheries with MPEDA, reports TheEconomicTimes.

Anwar Hashim, president, Seafood Exporters Association of India (SEAI) told TheEconomicTimes that stringent quality tests would be made mandatory before exports are made. The MPEDA would, according to reports, also set up a laboratory for the exporters to do quality checks.

Though scampi is farmed in other states also, the export rejections are more from Andhra Pradesh. The aquaculture production in general, including scampi and shrimp, has seen a decline due to global economic slowdown and the fall in prices of shrimp, incidence of diseases in the farms, supply of poor quality seeds, etc are the other reasons for the general decline of aquaculture in the country.

TheFishSite News Desk

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