ISLAMABAD, July 26: Pakistan is likely to lift the self-imposed ban on export of seafood to the European Union member countries from next month following the implementation of quality standards of seafood under the European Commission Food Safety Act. Official sources told Dawn on Tuesday that the government had implemented a series of measures recommended by the EU technical team in its report from catching to process of fish to meet the EC standards.

The sources said that the EU local representatives would review the steps taken by the Pakistan authorities at the Karachi harbour - conditions of boats, auction hall and some processing units.

However, the officials in the Ministry Of Food, Agriculture and Livestock were optimistic that the EU would allow import of seafood from August 1 as Islamabad had already implemented all their recommendations.

Elaborating the measures, the officials said Pakistan had modified around 150 boats, which would be exclusively used for fish catching for the EU member countries. These boats have freezing chambers, insulate boxes, better toilet and washing facilities as per requirements of the EU.

Moreover, the government has established a separate auction hall for the seafood to be exported only to the EU. This hall is centrally air-conditioned with tables for placing of seafood and some other facilities to fulfil EU standards.

Out of 40 processing units the EU had already approved the 20 units as per its standards, but the EU technical team had suggested minor improvement and some modification in them, the officials said.

Pakistan’s total seafood production stood at 566,000 tons during the year 2003-04. Of these 400,000 tons came from marine while the remaining from inland water. The seafood exports to the EU member countries stood at 54 per cent of the total earnings from this industry. Pakistan exported mainly seafood to 10 EU member countries - Belgium, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Greece, Irish Republic, Portugal, Italy, the Netherlands and Denmark.