KARACHI: Stakeholders have ruled out a big jump in fish export earnings under the GSP+ scheme due to the low number of exporters and a small difference in the prices of EU and those of the other countries.

EU had allowed only two fish exporting units last year from Pakistan. “We only expect substantial exports in case the number of exporters rises to seven from the current two,” Pakistan Fisheries Exporters Association (PFEA) Chairman Faisal Iftikhar said.

“As China, the Middle East, Saudi Arabia and UAE are Pakistan’s active buyers of high value products like shrimps, squid, cuttle fish etc., I do not see a major shift to EU markets,” he said.

On expectation of higher foreign exchange earning under revised status, he said that as all products are being sold already and the price differential between EU and China is not much, “we don’t feel that there will be a sharp move in that direction”.

He said: “I still believe EU is a good market for our shrimps and fresh water fish, so it is likely to have a long-term benefit for our exporters.”

He continued: “We need to understand that all fish caught is sold even when EU was not a buyer. Increase in exports will only come once we have more products to sell. There is need to enhance our volumes of production to improve the supply chain for which we have to go into Aqua Culture (fish and shrimp farming).”

Talking about the role of Marine Fisheries Department (MFD), he said interested exporters are working to fulfill all requirements that have been conveyed to them by the MFD. Around five companies are on the list and their names have been forwarded to EU for approval.

MFD Director-General Shaukat Hussain expects $400 million foreign exchange earning from fish exports in 2013-14 as against the target of $340 million in case five more exporters get market access to EU. After recommending the name of five exporters last month to EU, MFD will shortly send the documents of these companies.

“Re-start of fish exports from last year has actually restored the confidence of foreign buyers in Pakistan’s fish and shrimps,” he claimed, recalling that before the EU ban in April 2007, the share of fish exports to EU markets was 25 per cent in terms of value and 15 per cent in terms of quantity.