News

           KOCHI, DEC.30: AQUACULTURE shrimp exports to the European Union (EU) may come to halt following a recent audit visit of Food and Veterinary Office (FVO) of the EU which expressed dissatisfaction with the residue monitoring system in the country, it is learnt. Over 50 per cent of aquaculture shrimp are exported to the EU countries and a ban will seriously disrupt aquaculture farms of the nation, Mr Anwar Hashim, national President of the Seafood Exporters Association of India (SEAI), said.

           The Brussels-based FVO is responsible for ensuring safety of food imported into EU and has the mandate to ban imports which do not match the standards prescribed by it.

           In a communique to the Union government after its biennial audit visit of seafood testing laboratories here, the FVO said the Indian system of residue monitoring was structurally flawed and ineffective.

          It also found that official controls were not proper and the concerns raised by previous audit teams (2003 and 2006) were not addressed by the authorities.

          The organisation has, thus, threatened to ban Indian shrimp unless the authorities provided adequate guarantees on the issues raised by it, sources said.

           Any laxity on the part of the authorities may jeopardise exports of more than RS 1,500 crore. The authorities must guarantee that laboratory facilities are set up in all states and that all raw materials are tested before processing, Mr Hashim stressed.

         Farms would have to register with the coastal aquaculture authority to be eligible for exports, he added.

         Most countries are now insisting  that the Export Inspection Council of India (EIC) provide antibi0tic with every shrimp shipment, it is learnt.