The sector is facing difficulties for the past few years as it has failed to comply with SPS standards.
KARACHI: The fisheries sector is an important source of export earnings for the country. The sector is, however, facing difficulties for the past few years as it has failed to comply with the Sanitary and Phytosanitary Standards (SPS). This situation has led to frequent bans on Pakistan’s fish exports to the European Union (EU), which is an important market.
The EU market offers a high unit price as compared to other destinations such as China. This situation presents a discouraging scenario, especially in the context of the difference in unit prices offered by the EU to other markets. According to the State Bank of Pakistan, the importance of controlling public health risks is not realised by the industry. The need for companies to verify appropriate controls over the capture of fish, handling, storage and transport is not fully understood.
The vessel owners and harbour authorities lack an understanding of the consequences of poor control and have only just begun to initiate programmes to achieve increased control. Similarly, processors lack an understanding of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) and competitive levels of goods manufacturing practices. Therefore, there is a need to inculcate awareness among all stakeholders of the fish industry on the importance of this issue to avoid sanctions imposed by major importers. It is time that all stakeholders realised their responsibilities with a view to realising the full potential of the country’s fisheries sector.
Sumaira Zeb
Published in The Express Tribune, May 25th, 2014.
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