Dec 11, 2020
The giant tiger prawn or Asian tiger shrimp is referred to as Black tiger shrimp, forms the best seafood delicacy all the world over. These royal prawns form the most important shipment of India’s marine products export
Indian seafood exporters breathe a sigh of relief when Japan completely lifted inspection of Indian black tiger shrimps after export consignments of this size prawn variety was found to be totally free from any residue of the synthetic antibacterial drug furazolidone. This move was much-needed relief to seafood exporters who were reeling under losses in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The much-awaited decision was relayed by the Food Inspection and Safety Division of Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) to the Indian Embassy in Japan, the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) and Export Inspection Council of India.
Through a notification issued on 25th March this year, the MHLW had reduced the frequency of import inspection sampling for black tiger shrimps (Penaeus monodon) from 100% to 30%, since there were no findings of furazolidone in further export consignments of farmed black tiger shrimps from India. Hence, Japan ultimately decided to provide complete relaxation in the inspection of import sampling frequency in tune with Section 3, Article 26 of its Food Sanitation Act.
By letter notification, The MHLW, also conveyed that the chief officers of Quarantine Station has been instructed that the Inspection Order related to furazolidone on Indian cultured black tiger shrimps has been completely lifted and the product would only be subjected to the regular internal monitoring plan, which is mandatory for all the imported food items distributed in Japan market.
A two-member expert team had surveyed the black tiger shrimp hatcheries, farms, and processing units that exported the variety during 2-6 March 2020 ahead of the initial order.
Welcoming the order, MPEDA chairman K. S. Srinivas said, “This move will boost the morale of Indian seafood exporters who are battling various trade and logistic issues in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic that adversely affected the seafood markets abroad”.
“MPEDA has been raising the request to exempt black tiger from import inspection for antibiotic residue at various platforms. The decision by Japanese authorities will further enhance the farming and export of black tiger variety, especially from states like West Bengal and Kerala,” he added.
Srinivas also pointed out that MPEDA’s new Multispecies Aquaculture Complex (MAC) at Vallarpadam in Kochi has been making sustained efforts to revive the production of black tiger shrimps by supplying healthy seeds to the farmers, who are quite satisfied with it as it exhibits better growth and survival at the field level.
The giant tiger prawn or Asian tiger shrimp are referred to as Black tiger shrimp, forms the best seafood delicacy all the world over. These royal prawns forms the most important shipment of India’s marine products export. Japan consumes nearly 40 % of India’s black tiger shrimp exports, while it enjoys a niche markets in the EU and US.