KARACHI, Oct 10: Foreign buyers continued to pour in fresh orders for Pakistani fish and fish preparations, which registered a rise of 37 per cent in value and quantity terms in July- September 2003-2004 despite looming threat to exports because of worst oil spill during July-August.
Exporters said that they were still getting fresh orders with the same fervour from foreign buyers who know the actual fishing ground of Pakistan.
“Exports are continued till today without any hindrance and buyers of China, European Union and America are a bit satisfied that they are procuring fish being netted in the deep sea and not from the coastal belt where ship Tasman Spirit ran aground on July 27,” chief executive, Seagreen Enterprise Private Limited, Abrar Ahmed told Dawn on Friday.
He said exporters have not received any complaints from the foreign buyers in the backdrop of oil spill as they are well aware that fishing ground is still unaffected.
The landing and catch of fish and shrimps have been satisfactory during July-September and if the same pace of arrival at the harbour continues in future, Pakistan’s fish exports was poised to go beyond $150 million in 2003-2004, he said.
Pakistan’s July-September 2003-2004 exports stood at 23,187 tons ($44 million) as compared to 16,836 tons ($32 million) in the corresponding period of 2002-2003, figures of Federal Bureau of Statistics (FBS) show.
The average unit price of fish during July-September remained same of last period at $1.89 per kg.
Landing of fish and shrimps from August 12 (when the actual oil spill started) till September also remained normal at an average of 600 tons per day, figures, compiled by Fishermen Cooperative Society (FCS), said.
The landing of fish during September 2003 stood at 18,899,955 kgs thus making a commission of Rs16,476,521 for the FCS as compared to 12,124,844 kgs and commission of Rs12,642,660 in September 2002, showing a rise of Rs3,833,860 in total commission, FCS said in a statement.
Sindh Minister for Fisheries and Chairman FCS, Sardar Manzoor Ali Panwar said that the fishermen faced a lot of problems in the new fishing season due to rains and thunderstorm that followed grounding of Tasman Spirit. Despite adverse situation, FCS fetched higher commission.
On the other hand, fish exporters are now concerned over the slight low prices being fetched by local shrimps and fish in the export destinations.
“There is an oversupply situation in the world markets that is why exporters of Pakistan and other countries are fetching quite lower prices. We send higher quantities but are getting lesser prices,” Abrar said.
Many countries like Thailand, Indonesia, Iran, Bangladesh and India are now giving tough time to Pakistani exporters because their fish and shrimp exports came from aqua culture system, which, unfortunately, Pakistan lacked, Director A.G. Fisheries, Hyder Ali said.
These countries are sending huge quantities of fish and shrimps from the aqua culture to Europe and other countries thus creating problems for the Pakistani exporters and causing price fall, he said adding Europe particularly is now in oversupply position where various countries are sending fish and shrimps from aqua culture.
He said Pakistani exporters are getting the orders from foreign buyers but at quite reduced rates.
