KARACHI, Oct 21: The European Union countries have cleared 18 Pakistani processing plants operating at Karachi Fish Harbour (KFH) for import of seafood.

The chairman of the Karachi Fish Harbour Authority (KFHA), Syed Tayyab Naqvi, who is also the chairman of the Fishermen Cooperative Society, told a 43-member delegation from the Command and Staff College, Quetta,

According to him, if Pakistani exporters opt for value addition then our exports could rise up by at least 10 times.

Pakistan exports seafood to 61 countries, and in the previous financial year seafood worth 125.554 million US dollars was exported. EC countries are major importers of Pakistani seafood.

A delegation from the Command and Staff College, Quetta, comprising 43 officers, headed by Colonel Sajjad Rizvi, the chief instructor, visited the KFH on a study tour on Monday.

Commander Mohammed Aslam (retd), Manager Audit, gave a detailed briefing on the activities of the KFHA and the FCS.

He highlighted the improvements that had been effected in the past three and a half years, which included establishment of a flake ice plant of 40 tons per day capacity, implementation of turtle excluder devices on fishing boats, which was a pre-requisite condition of the US government for import of Pakistani seafood, construction of a shrimp peeling complex, introduction of computerized cards for harbour users, establishment of a crate-washing station, energizing of lighting system at the harbour, control of the auction system, etc.

He said more than 16,000 fishermen had been trained under the fishermen training programme which began in April.

He informed the delegation that under the enhanced group insurance scheme, seven families of deceased fishermen had been paid Rs200,000 each as death compensation.

He also highlighted various welfare measures taken by the FCS. He said the auction halls were being washed daily after auction to maintain hygienic conditions.

Replying to questions, Commodore Naqvi said during the past three and a half years commercial activities had increased which enhanced the KFHA’s income.

He said the rights of charging gate entry fee at the harbour had been auctioned against the bid of Rs6.10 million.

He told the delegation that a number of steps had been taken to improve hygienic conditions at the harbour, which included a ban on use of wicker basket in auction halls, as these were unsuitable for handling and preservation of seafood.

He said plastic baskets had been introduced which were helpful in maintaining hygienic conditions.

He disclosed the government of Sindh was encouraging the participation of the private sector in the fisheries sector for shrimp aquaculture in the province.

At the end of the briefing, crests of the KFHA and of the FCS were presented to the head of delegation by Abdul Waheed Pirzada, MD KFHA, and Haji Shafi Mohammed Jamote, FCS vice chairman.

As a gesture of goodwill crest of the Command and Staff College was also presented to the KFHA chairman. Later, the delegation visited modern seafood processing plants at the KFH.