July 21, 2010

Pakistan's seafood exports fetch 17% more

Pakistan's seafood exports received 17% higher per unit price in 2009-10 compared with 2008-09, but the quantity of export declined by 11.13%, according to the Federal Bureau of Statistics.

Pakistan's seafood export went down by 11.13% to 113,219 tonnes from 127,393 tonnes. Value of seafood exports fell by 2.74% to US$227.28 million from US$233.69 million. On a positive note, per unit price has increased to US$2.1 per kg from US$1.8 per kg last year, said Marine Fisheries Department director general Mohammad Moazzam Khan.

Although overall landing of fish at Pakistan's harbour declined, the better prices were a result of an increase in exports of value-added fish products and export to new markets. Pakistan's value-added products include ready-to-eat fish and shrimp. Pakistan's shrimp are directly sold in Japanese retail markets.

Pakistan Fisheries Exporters Association chairman Faisal Iftikhar said the Middle East and Indonesia were the new destinations for Pakistani seafood. Besides, China started buying more quantity of high value products like cuttlefish, scads and shrimp from Pakistan.

He, however, expressed his concern about depleting fish stocks of the country owing to widespread use of banned nets. Despite a ban on fishing during breeding months, June and July, fishing by illegal nets continued.

Fish stocks were declining by 15% every year, said Iftikhar, adding that fish industry would come to a halt in next five years if this continued. "Factories are operating at only 20% of their capacity because of decline in fish stocks," he said.

The country has been facing problems in increasing its seafood exports since 2007 when European Union banned our seafood imports.

The EU de-listed all Pakistani seafood exporters in early 2007. The ban is yet to be lifted. Pakistani authorities requested the EU officials to visit the harbour in August last year. The EU officials promised to visit the country by the end of the year, but then changed their plans without giving Pakistan any reason.

Of the 28 seafood processing units, 11 had been exporting to the EU, but none of them is listed now.

Pakistan's export to EU member countries was around US$50 million in 2006, a year before the ban was slapped. If export to EU had been happening, the country would have earned at least US$50 millions more this year, according to reports.