November 5, 2007

Pakistan's seafood exports doubles on-year despite EU ban

Despite the EU ban, export of fish and its preparations from Pakistan doubled to US$18.22 million during September 2007 as compared to 8.907 million dollars in August 2007.

Seafood exporters linked the growth with the available catch of August, which could not be exported during that period, according to Pakistan's Business Recorder.

The fishing industry has expressed dissatisfaction over the continued EU ban on seafood for the last nine months, and blamed the Marine Fisheries Department (MFD) had not done enough to get the ban lifted, they said.

However, during the first three months (July-September) of the current fiscal year, export of these items slumped by 11.083 million dollars or 24.36 percent.

The export of fish and its preparations shrank to 34.415 million dollars during first three months of the current fiscal year as compared to 45.498 million dollars during the same period of the 2006 fiscal year.

Pakistan Seafood Industries Association Chairman Hanif Khan criticised MFD's designated chief as lacking in expertise in fisheries and whose decisions are causing exporters severe problems.

Since being banned by the EU more than six months ago, Pakistan has diverted its seafood exports to countries in the Far East and the Middle East.

He said the EU ban on the seafood export was unjustified because the export to Japan, China, Egypt, and other countries were made on a regular basis and these countries did not have issues with Pakistan's seafood.