EU to block entry of shrimps shipped after Nov 5
Monday, 24 November 2008
Doulot Akter Mala
The European Union (EU) has said it will block the entry of all shrimp consignments shipped from Bangladesh into EU territory after November 5 if the required chemical test certificates are not provided along with the shipping documents
The importers' association of EU recently sent a letter asking the authorities concerned to send all test reports as required by the regulations of EU food and veterinary office with the consignments.
Presently, the country is exporting seafood with five different health certificates while EU regulations demanded a total of seven test certificates.
The EU customs will block the containers if the issue is not addressed urgently, EU importers' association representative Helen LA Shunde said in a letter.
On July 24, the European Commission (EC) has asked the exporters to send some chemical testing reports with every consignment.
The tests include---Chloramphenicol, tetracycline, Metabolities des Nitrofuran, Vert de Malachite ses metabolites and crystal violet ses metabolites.
The exporters have been sending shrimp consignments without two metabolites testing reports as the government's Fisheries Inspection and Quality Control (FIQC) laboratory has only one LCMSMS machine to carry out the jobs and that is not sufficient, sources said.
Insufficient testing equipment is hampering all chemical tests as per EU regulation and causing delay in shipments, said Bangladesh Frozen Foods Exporters Association (BFFEA) president Kazi Belayet Hossain.
"Testing laboratory of the government has only one LCMSMS machine that is conducting all those chemical tests. It takes around 27 days to get testing certificates before shipment," he said.
The government's laboratory is conducting all chemical tests with a single machine, which the BFFEA handed over them, while at least six LCMSMS machines are required presently in Chittagong, Khulna and Dhaka (FIQC), he said.
"Our buyers' are now finding alternative sources as we are failing to meet shipment deadline of export," he said.
BFFEA director Humayun Kabir said: "Most of the exporters' are now failing to comply with the deadline given by the buyers' ahead of Chirsmas and New Year, which is the peak season of export of frozen foods."
J. Kwakman president of seafood Importers' and Processors Alliance (SIPA) recently also sent a letter expressing his worry on delays in shipments.
"……….the reason seems to be that the Bengal competent authority cannot issue more than four health certificates per brand per month," he said in the letter.
Talking to the FE, Department of Fisheries (DoF) Director General Rafiqul Islam said: "We will buy two LCMSMS machine as soon as possible to help the sector sustain the exports to EU."
The process on purchasing the machines is now in a pipeline, he said.
The European Union (EU) has said it will block the entry of all shrimp consignments shipped from Bangladesh into EU territory after November 5 if the required chemical test certificates are not provided along with the shipping documents
The importers' association of EU recently sent a letter asking the authorities concerned to send all test reports as required by the regulations of EU food and veterinary office with the consignments.
Presently, the country is exporting seafood with five different health certificates while EU regulations demanded a total of seven test certificates.
The EU customs will block the containers if the issue is not addressed urgently, EU importers' association representative Helen LA Shunde said in a letter.
On July 24, the European Commission (EC) has asked the exporters to send some chemical testing reports with every consignment.
The tests include---Chloramphenicol, tetracycline, Metabolities des Nitrofuran, Vert de Malachite ses metabolites and crystal violet ses metabolites.
The exporters have been sending shrimp consignments without two metabolites testing reports as the government's Fisheries Inspection and Quality Control (FIQC) laboratory has only one LCMSMS machine to carry out the jobs and that is not sufficient, sources said.
Insufficient testing equipment is hampering all chemical tests as per EU regulation and causing delay in shipments, said Bangladesh Frozen Foods Exporters Association (BFFEA) president Kazi Belayet Hossain.
"Testing laboratory of the government has only one LCMSMS machine that is conducting all those chemical tests. It takes around 27 days to get testing certificates before shipment," he said.
The government's laboratory is conducting all chemical tests with a single machine, which the BFFEA handed over them, while at least six LCMSMS machines are required presently in Chittagong, Khulna and Dhaka (FIQC), he said.
"Our buyers' are now finding alternative sources as we are failing to meet shipment deadline of export," he said.
BFFEA director Humayun Kabir said: "Most of the exporters' are now failing to comply with the deadline given by the buyers' ahead of Chirsmas and New Year, which is the peak season of export of frozen foods."
J. Kwakman president of seafood Importers' and Processors Alliance (SIPA) recently also sent a letter expressing his worry on delays in shipments.
"……….the reason seems to be that the Bengal competent authority cannot issue more than four health certificates per brand per month," he said in the letter.
Talking to the FE, Department of Fisheries (DoF) Director General Rafiqul Islam said: "We will buy two LCMSMS machine as soon as possible to help the sector sustain the exports to EU."
The process on purchasing the machines is now in a pipeline, he said.