Over Rs 20 million Vendor Assurance Programme (VAP) has been implemented at the Karachi Fish Harbour, which would maintain the momentum of the seafood exports to EU catering to the reservations regarding harbour conditions.
The cost incurring on the project has been borne by the exporters, said Faisal Iftikhar, Vice-chairman Pakistan Seafood Industries Association (PSIA), adding that 13 major exporters have invested the sum ranging from Rs one million to 2.5 million. The implementation of this programme is a prerequisite for seafood exports to the European Union.
Under the programme, the fisheries catch would be taken directly to processing plants, eligible for the export of seafood to the EU and would be processed exclusively for the European countries. Faisal Iftikhar told Business Recorder that the VAP reduce the reliance of exporters on the port authorities and the Sindh government.
The VAP had been submitted to the Marine Fisheries Department (MFD) on August 12, by the PSIA. Few days ago before the submission of the draft, MFD had decided not to issue Certificates of Quality and Origin to exporters to the EU due to the association's inability to submit on time plans to ensure compliance with the EU's commodity export requirements. The move came after the decision made by a high-level meeting early in the month that seafood exports to the EU would only be undertaken from the auction of raw fish at K-I Hall with a maximum handling capacity of 50-tonne per day and VAP.
Faisal Iftikhar further informed that it had also been decided that K-I Hall would not operate in two shifts that would increase its handling capacity to 125-tonne per day. Seafood exports to EU require proper unloading and bringing in of raw fish to K-I auction hall from approved boats as well as organleptic inspection by MFD staff at K-I and the onboard approval of fishing boats meant for the VAP.
The handling, auction and disposal of raw fish in the K-I would be conducted as per the modus operandi. PSIA Vice-chairman said that the decision of MFD not to issue certificates of quality and origin had caused some concerns in the sector initially but now there was nothing to be worried about.
Pakistan's seafood export sector had faced some difficulties in the earlier part of last year when a self-imposed ban by the federal government on the export of fisheries products harmed the sector and the exports to EU suffered huge losses.
The Pakistan's seafood exports stood at $196.15 million during the year 2005-06 as compared to $138.94 million exports in the previous year. Seafood exports had surpassed the target of $160 million easily by $three million.
Faisal Iftikhar said that the last year's seafood exports included $15 to $20 million worth of deep-sea tuna fish catch and if the conditions in this regard remains the same the current year's target would also be achieved.