Fish exporters wary of Covid-19 traces

RAJKOT: The fish exporters of Gujarat are apprehensive about their future trade prospects with China following detection of Covid-19 traces in a frozen fish consignment from Ecuador that landed in the neighbouring country recently. Following this China has suspended import from few companies of Ecuador.
To ensure that Gujarat exporters don’t face similar situation, the All India Sea Food Exporters Association (AISFEA) has approached Marin Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) urging them to issue guidelines for fish exports before Beijing takes any adverse step against Indian exporters.

Every year frozen fish worth Rs 5,000 crore is exported from Veraval out of which China’s share is around Rs 3,000 crore.
Jagdish Fofandi president of AISFEA told TOI, “If any traces of Covid-19 are found in our packaging China will reject the cargo and other countries will also follow the same. So, we have asked MPEDA to issue guidelines regarding this.”
A Veraval-based exporter Thomas Kenny said, “China is checking coronavirus traces on packaging however it’s not proved yet that frozen fish is able to carry the pathogen. However if this suspicion spreads we are unsure how the new season of fishing in India will start from August.”
B G Chudasama head of department of harvest and post harvest technology of College of Fisheries set up by Junagadh Agriculture University (JAU) said, “There is very less possibility that the virus can survive in frozen fish. But even if these are rumours it can have big impact on fishing industry in Veraval.”
The fish exporters and fishermen are already reeling under recession since because of excessive rain last year followed by the conoravirus pandemic.