China lifts suspension on Indian Seafood imports

BEIJING: China has lifted the suspension of shipments from 99 Indian seafood processing and exporting units following India’s assurances over source control, a move which would boost marine products exports to the neighbouring country, an MPEDA official said recently.

China had suspended a total of 110 units since December 2020 over Covid concerns, but the sustained efforts by theseafoodexportdevelopmentbody— Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA), were crucial to India’seventualsuccessingettinglifted

China’s suspension order, according to top officials. Centre had projected to nearly double the seafood exports to USD14billionby2025.

“The lift on the suspension of the 99 seafood processing units was done on February 14 and is expected to raise India’s export of marine productsby5percentto10percentin the next financial year. The suspension of 11 units was revoked earlier, MPEDA Chairman D V Swamysaid.

Non-conformity with the trade norm requirements of China upon virtual inspection had led to the non- acceptance of seafood cargo from the concernedunits.

“Efforts by MPEDA, along with the Export Inspection Council, Embassy of India at Beijing, and the Department of Commerce, yielded fruition,asalltheunitshavecomplied with the requirements of (GACC),” Swamysaid.

India had 475 establishments that exportedseafoodduring2021-22. The country’s seafood export to China was worth USD 1.17 billion in 2021-22, clocking a 25 per cent rise from the previous financial year, MPEDAofficialssaid.