(a) whether many foreign countries have complained about the poor packaging and hygienic defects in Indian marine products which are being exported to them;
(b) if so, whether the importers have expressed unhappiness in this regard;
(c) the steps taken to remedy the situation and the result thereof; and
(d) the details of assistance being provided by the Government to shrimp exporters to improve the quality and packaging of marine products for export?
MINISTER OF COMMERCE & INDUSRY (SHRI MURASOLI MARAN)
(a) to (d) A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.
STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.282 TO BE ANSWERED ON 11.8.200 REGARDING COMPLAINT ABOUT INDIAN MARINE PRODUCTS
(a) and (b): While no complaints have been received from any country importing marine products from India with regard to poor packaging, there have been suggestions that the quality of packaging be improved. However, there have been certain complaints from a few countries about quality related hygienic defects.
(c) The following steps have been taken to check the occurrence of complaints:-
(1) Export Inspection Council (EIC) has put in place a system of rigorous monitoring of the fish and fishery product establishments so that they adhere to the standards of quality with respect to various products as notified by the Government of India.
(2) The laboratories of Export Inspection Agencies(EIAs) have been adequately equipped for testing Fish & Fishery product units as per the requirements/guidelines issued by the Government of India for export of marine products.
(3) Whenever a specific quality complaint is received, the EIC undertakes a drill to verify the genuineness of the complaint and take preventive action. It is only after satisfactory completion of the remedial measures by the concerned processing unit that the EIC approves lifting the control measures imposed on the unit.
(4) The Government of India have asked Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) to get a study done by Indian Institute of Packaging (IIP) about status of packaging in India and offering recommendations to improve the quality of packaging in the country. The study is in progress.
(5) As and when a specific quality issue arises with respect to a particular market(s), MPEDA interacts with the concerned authorities to sort out the matter.
(d) Assistance being provided by the Government to the exporters of marine products including shrimp exporters cover, inter-alia, subsidizing rate of interest on loans obtained for modernization of fish and fishery products processing establishments in terms of working capital requirements etc., extending subsidy for procurement of various kinds of equipment and machinery for upgradation of various facilities and establishment of quality control laboratories. Besides, MPEDA and EIC have been organizing various training programmes for technologists employed in the processing plants and responsible for quality control. A number of extension training programmes on hygienic handling of products have also been conducted for the workers in the pre-processing segment, processing plants and fishermen. At the instance of MPEDA, the Indian Institute of Packaging (IIP) has already been engaged for studying the requirements of packaging in the international market and suggest measures for improving standards of packaging in the seafood sector in India.