September 6, 2011

China allows Pakistan's fishmeal imports

A Chinese inspection team has approved fishmeal imports from Pakistan, an official of the Pakistan Marine Fisheries Department said.

As of this year, the Chinese Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) started to send investigation teams to various countries exporting fishmeal to China.

Pakistani fisheries authorities have received a report of an inspection team of China, saying that China has allowed continuing import of fishmeal from Pakistan. All the five fishmeal plants have also been approved by AQSIQ China. "However, there is a need to further improve the quality to boost fishmeal exports to China," a Pakistan official said.

Fishmeal is usually used as poultry feed. Pakistan has a capacity of producing 52,000 tonnes of fishmeal annually. Besides China, Pakistan exports fishmeal to Sri Lanka, Egypt, Malaysia, Indonesia, Russia and Vietnam.

The country exported 42,500 tonnes in 2008/09, while exports declined to 35,200 tonnes in 2009/10 due to lack of fish catch and less production.