Setting at rest apprehensions over catch certification for seafood exports to the EU region, the Government is reported to have chosen the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) as the nodal agency for implementing the certification process.
“We have been told that we were chosen to provide the certificates but have not received any written communication yet,” senior sources in MPEDA said.
Since a transit time of one month is required for Indian seafood exports to reach Europe and another 10-15 days for the pre-shipment customs and other clearances to be obtained, the Seafood Exporters Association of India (SEAI) was apprehensive of meeting the mid-November deadline.
Exporters pointed to the large fleet of unregistered country craft engaged in fishing activity and also to the significant number of registered mechanised fishing vessels which require catch certification to enable them to undertake sales for the EU exports.
There was all-round appreciation of the fact that the Government scrapped suggestions that multiple organisations be empowered to provide the certificates and instead chose a unitary organisation for the purpose.
Action plan
While conceding that time is running out for providing catch certificates, which is mandatory from January 1, MPEDA sources said that they had already chalked out a road map for the course of action.
MPEDA intends to follow a non-discriminatory and transparent process for providing certificates to the catch meant for exports.
The Authority will prepare a questionnaire seeking information on the source and processes of the catch.
The answers have to be filled in by the fishermen/agent selling the seafood to the exporter and those in turn will be submitted to the Port Officer of the region and recorded on the computer.
The seller/agent will also submit a similar form to the exporter, which will also be fed into the computer.
MPEDA is developing a system to collect and collate these inputs.
After scrutinising the electronic forms submitted by the exporter and the Port Officer, MPEDA will provide the certification if the inputs conform to the guidelines and match with each other.
Regarding its ability to meet the imminent deadline, MPEDA said that it had done the groundwork long before being chosen to be the authorised agency to provide the certificates.
MPEDA is working on a war-footing and is confident that it will be able to get its act together by the deadline.
Source : Business Line