KARACHI: The Marine Fisheries Department (MFD) has suspended K-I and K-II auction halls at Karachi Fish Harbour for a period of 40 days to ensure upgradation by Fisherman’s Cooperative Society (FCS) so more processing plants might be enlisted by the EU, The News learnt on Saturday.
The MFD has asked the FCS to expand auction hall K-I within two months, and install sliding-mesh rollers on top of 3-4 feet high walls and the gates of K-II auction hall for handling of fish crates.
It was learnt that Ports and Shipping Minister Senator Kamran Michael also wrote a letter to Dr Sikandar Ali Mandhro, Minister for Parliamentary Affairs, Environment, CDA and Cooperation, asking Sindh government to intervene and get the above task completed by FCS within the stipulated time, so raw material is routed to the processing plants through approved sources, having sufficient hall space.
In August, Stefano Gatto, the Acting Ambassador, European Union Delegation to Pakistan, Islamabad visited Karachi Fish Harbour. He was apprised of the upgradation to be taken by the FCS on a war footing basis.
The MFD has asked the FCS to start the work immediately, so that five more processing plants, eligible for export to the EU countries, could enlisted by the EU.
Last month an inspection team submitted a report on K-I and K-II auction halls and adjacent areas. The report mentioned that during inspection it was witnessed that the FCS was not working on the improvements and upgradation suggested by the MFD.
The report said the inspection team found shrimp placed directly on the roads outside K-II auction hall, where drainage water was contaminating the products. The K-II auction hall was over crowded and product was directly placed on the floor which is a serious hazard, claimed the report.
On MFD inquiry about drainage upgradation, Karachi Fish Harbour Authority official Shuneed Ahmed Memon said that work on installation of new sewerage lines would be initiated
by December 2015 under “Rehabilitation and Renovation of Karachi Fish Harbour external services”.
The officials fear that the FCS might not complete the task in the given timeframe, which will further delay the process of exporting fish from more companies to Europe.
It is pertinent to mention that in April 2007, the export of fish and fishery products from Pakistan was suspended on account of certain deficiencies observed by the Food and Veterinary Office (FVO) inspection services of the European Commission during their inspection visit to Pakistan in January 2007.
Resumption of export to the EU countries was a great challenge for Pakistan. This challenge was met satisfactorily by improving infrastructural and operational conditions at all stages of production, processing and distribution of fish and fishery products.
The industry received accreditation of seafood testing laboratories of MFD under ISO/IEC-17025:2005 International Standards to meet the requirement of EU countries. —Hina Mahgul Rind