EU-approved fish processing plants facing water, power problems

European Union approved fish processing plants at the Karachi Fish Harbour are facing acute water and electricity problems for the last many months. The apathy of civic agencies towards solving problems of these plants has resulted in an increase of cost of export and the loss of revenue to the exporters. While talking to Business Recorder, leading seafood exporters criticised the attitude of Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) and Karachi Electric Supply Corporation (KESC) and said that despite making repeated complaints no action had been taken yet to rectify the situation.
Iftikhar Zaidi, a leading seafood exporter, said the plant owners were forced to buy water to wash fish from private sector at exorbitant cost and generators were being used to supply electricity to refrigeration section.
Another seafood exporter, Firoz Ali Gaba said each plant required at least 24,000 gallons water daily (equal of 10 trucks of water), adding in the absence of availability of water it was difficult to sustain business for a long time.
Replying to a question, Gaba said each plant required at least 440 watts of electricity while the KESC provides only 280-330 watts and sometimes the power was out for over 10 to 12 hours forcing plant owners to use their own means for electricity generation.
Captain Akhlaque said he had paid money for water connection to the KWSB but so far get no response from the organisation. Due to acute water shortage, staff at the plant had to wait for hours to wash seafood, resulting in loss of quality and low output of export, he added.
He demanded of the Sindh government to take immediate notice of the problems being faced by the fishing plants.
Faisal Iftikhar Ali was of the opinion that seafood export would decrease in future if such trends would continue.
Muslim Muhammadi was critical of the attitude of the Karachi Fish Harbour Authority and said that it was paying no heed to project the interests of fishing plants.
It is mentioned that 54 percent of fishing exports go to European Union (EU) and 46 percent to Japan, Middle East, China and USA, etc.