Relief after 6 years: EU lifts ban on Pakistan seafood import
28 February, 2013
KARACHI: In a major development regarding increasing exports of the country on Wednesday, the European Union (EU) has lifted the ban on import of Pakistan's seafood products, which it had imposed in 2007 for failing to meet its specifications.
KARACHI: In a major development regarding increasing exports of the country on Wednesday, the European Union (EU) has lifted the ban on import of Pakistan's seafood products, which it had imposed in 2007 for failing to meet its specifications.
The EU ended its six-year ban on Pakistan's seafood trade enlisting two fisheries companies to export shrimp and fish products to its 27-nation bloc from March 12, 2013, fisheries sources said.
Pakistan can now export fish and shrimp items to the EU after six years initially through two companies –AG Fisheries (Pvt) Ltd, and Akhlaq Enterprises (Pvt) Ltd, according to fisheries officials.
Pakistan's fisheries trade with EU came to a halt in April 2007 as the EU de-listed 11 seafood-exporting companies of the country for failing to meet its specifications. Pakistan was exporting some $50 million worth seafood products annually to the EU when the ban hit its trade.
Exporters said Pakistan will now be able to export pud, pink and brown shrimps, squid and cuttlefish to the world's largest market of fisheries.
Pakistan's seafood export was facing ban by the European Commission (EC) in 2007 after the EU inspectors found systemic enforcement failure and serious deficiencies in the sanitary quality of the fish.
Sea Food Exporters Association of Pakistan Chairman Iftikhar Zaidi said after a concerted effort by the Ministry of Commerce, Marine Fisheries Department (MFD) and Pakistan's Trade Mission in Brussels, EU has finally agreed to lift the ban from March 12, 2013 and two Pakistani fish-processing establishments have been allowed to export its fish products to the EU.
The EC had decided to recommend to the 27-member states for inclusion of two Pakistani fishery establishments in the approved list that are authorised to export fishery products to the EU.
Any consignment exported from these two approved establishments in Pakistan, after March 12, 2013, would be able to enter the EU. All the fishery consignments destined for EU will be inspected by the Marine Fisheries Department prior to the shipment and by the European Port when they get there.
The EC held that re-listing would be done after the relevant stakeholders in Pakistan could improve the hygiene conditions in the fishery processing establishments. The government of Pakistan has been working with the stakeholders to bring in the desired improvements. The laboratory services of MFD have been modernised; MFD microbiology and chemical labs have been internationally accredited; hygiene conditions in fishing vessels, landing and auction sites, fish processing plants have been improved; and around 200 fishing boats have been modified.
Before the de-listing, Pakistan's export of fish to Europe amounted to $38.72 million in 2006. Replying to a query, he said currently Pakistan's seafood export to countries like China, Egypt, Gulf States and Far Eastern countries stands at $350 million mark and after the addition of EU countries, it is likely to surge to the level of $400 million mark.
However, he said, the exporting companies will have to see what price they will get for these products on the EU markets as Pakistan is already in trade with China and other Far Eastern countries for such species.
“Exporting companies will first send price quotation of these products to the EU buyers and then will decide whether trade with 27-nation bloc is viable,” he said. “It is a big development in the context of Pakistan's economy and global trade,” said Karachi Fish Harbour Authority (KFHA) Managing Director Abdul Ghani Jokhio. “The confirmation of ban lifting by the EU is a result of KFHA, Sindh government and MFD's joint efforts to improve the fisheries sector's safety standards in line with the global standards.”
“Opening of seafood export to the EU is not a big achievement rather the EU's certification for Pakistan seafood safety is a great development,” he said, adding that the KFHA also wants to make the fisheries sector provide safe seafood to the local market.
The ban cost Pakistan about $300 million since 2007. Pakistan's share of fisheries export to the EU markets was 26 percent of its total global seafood trade in 2007, fisheries officials said. The EU's first and temporary ban on Pakistan seafood came in 2004-05, which cost the country $28.695 million because of unhygienic conditions.
Total seafood export :
China, Egypt, Gulf States,
Far Eastern countries $350m
EU $50m
Total $400m
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