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G. Srinivasan

NEW DELHI, April 11

Indian marine product exporters, faced with greater rejection of their shipment particularly to the European Union (EU) where sanitary and phyto-sanitary standards keep constantly changing to their dismay, should now breathe easily, thanks to the technical assistance initiative of the Union Commerce Ministry.

In a major move to reassure the local marine product exporters and the poor fishermen whose livelihood is dependent on the proper price their catch fetches for them, the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), the Export Inspection Councils (EIPs) both functioning under the Commerce Ministry have joined hands with State Fisheries Departments to set up a series of laboratories throughout the coastal regions of the country.

Official sources told Business Line that to start with 10 such laboratories would be set up in Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Gujarat, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Orissa, Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal before June 30. The first one in the series is to be inaugurated by the Union Commerce and Industry Minister, Mr Arun Jaitley, in Kochi on Saturday. A sum of Rs 30 crore is set apart for establishing a chain of modern laboratories.

The sources recalled that in the wake of increasing rejection of some of marine product exports on account of the presence of anti-biotic, the authorities have decided to go in for modern laboratories to test the processed products before they are exported. They said the problem in the export market was acutely highlighted in places such as Italy and France particularly in the latter where the consignments of Indian marine products were not only rejected but also destroyed, causing untold miseries to the Indian exporters.

Such rejections or destructions have emerged as a non-tariff barrier questioning the bonafide of the Indian exporters and without caring for the sensitivity of Indian fishermen. The sources noted that the rejection of Indian marine products on frequently changing standards in the EU was not the case with Japan and the US who have transparent and predictable norms in this regard.

However, the visiting EU, Director (WTO Affairs), DG Trade, European Commission, Brussels, Mr Herve Jouanjean told Business Line here that it is not fair to criticise EU's standards as being frequently-changing. He said "autonomous and independent bodies that do so not with any intent to protect domestic fishery industry there but to ensure the health and safety of consumers set the changes in standards."

He said even if Indian marine product goods are rejected that does not mean that EU is not importing marine products as other sources which meet the proper and safe standards of the EU fill in.

He also recalled that during a recent visit here, the EU Trade Commissioner, Mr Pascal Lamy, had offered to assist India to upgrade the capabilities of Indian laboratories to test products for compliance with technical regulations and food safety standards.

Meanwhile, the sources noted that the APEDA had launched a massive campaign at the ground level to educate the fishermen about the non-advisability of using those anti-biotic to keep fish population in fine fettle. They said a number of antibiotic which are not to be used continue to be used by fishermen as they have a mistaken belief that just as antibiotic cure disease in human beings, they could effect similar cure in marine creatures too. The campaign would disabuse them of any such incredible beliefs, the sources said adding that once the laboratories start functioning it would immensely benefit both the fishermen and the marine product exporters so that the export consignments moving out of Indian shores do not fall victim to standards that eventually turn out to be market access barriers for India's exports to EU countries.

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