THE seafood exporters of Odisha on Friday expressed their happiness after Britain decided to exit European Union (EU). The EU stipulates stringent laws and regulations for import of seafood from India to the EU countries. Seafood Exporters’ Association of India (SEAI), Odisha region president Ajaya Kumar Dash said, In the past, we had suffered huge loss after the EU imposed strict guidelines on seafood exporters of India. The EU countries had also rejected seafood consignments from India several times citing unhygienic standards of marine products. The exit of Britain from the EU is a blessing for us as we will now easily export seafood to Britain. In 2010, the EU had brought in a new regulation which insisted on validated catch certificate or certificate for consignments of fish, shrimp, squid, cuttlefish and octopus to be exported to the European countries. The Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) was authorised by the Union Government to issue such certificate which is mandatory for all seafood exporters from January 1, 2010. But now, we do not require the EU certificate to export seafood to Britain after its exit from the EU, he added. However, a senior officer of Bhubaneswar-based MPEDA said, It is too early to say anything over the matter as there is every chance for Britain to follow the same stringent rules of EU to import seafood from India even after its departure from EU. Sources said export of seafood has increased from `1,800 crore in 2013-14 to `2,060 crore in 2014-15 in Odisha.
2016, The New Indian Express.