July 12, 2007

India needs certifying body for aquaculture

There is a strong need for India to establish a body responsible for setting standards in aquaculture, E.G. Silas, former Vice-Chancellor of Kerala Agricultural University, and founder-director of the Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture (CIBA) said.

The proposed body would certify hatcheries, aqua farms and processing plants, besides instilling traceability in the production chain. Now,

India's Marine Products Export Development Authority is now looking at segments of the chain but a more comprehensive system is necessary, he said.

Sivlas said there should be a nodal body to which agencies or organisations could be accredited.

Meeting safety requirements and standards at all the stages of production would help to turn out high-quality and safe aquaculture products, he added.

Further, Sila added that new and small-scale shrimp and fish farmers should be educated on new techniques through extension programmes.

Silas also suggested that India's aquaculture industry look at the higher value added organic aquaculture, which has already been started in countries like Vietnam and Peru, where white shrimps and mussels are cultivated. India would need a certifying body if it were to embark on such aquaculture, he stressed.