SEAFOOD PRODUCT EXPORT TO EUROPE EXPECTED TO RESUME

By Tengku Noor Shamsiah Tengku Abdullah

KUALA LUMPUR, April 21 (Bernama) -- The export of seafood products from
Malaysia to Europe is expected to resume by next month, providing good news for
local exporters.

Seafood products generate billions of ringgit annually and are considered as
the second largest edible item exported by Malaysia.

Ambassador and head of delegation of the European Commission in Malaysia,
Vincent Piket, said in an effort to enable the trade to resume, inspectors from
the EU Food and Veterinary Office carried out a review mission earlier this
month.

He said the European Union (EU) worked in close collaboration with
Malaysia's Health Ministry, Agriculture and Agro-Based Industries Ministry and
Malaysian Fisheries Development Board to implement measures to address the food
safety management and hygiene issues to comply with the EU's requirements.

"The final results of the analysis are not yet available but I am hopeful
that with the improvements introduced by the Malaysian authorities and the
seafood industry, a significant part of the seafood trade can resume by end of
May," he told Bernama here.

In June 2008, the Malaysian government voluntarily made a decision to
temporarily freeze exports of aquaculture products to the EU.

This decision was taken following findings which revealed that there were
shortcomings along the supply chain compromising food safety standards.

The government suspended seafood exports to the EU to avoid being banned for
allegedly failing to meet European health standards.

According to Piket, the EU is the largest importer of Malaysian seafood with
50 percent of Malaysian shrimps exported to the EU.

In 2007, Malaysia exported a total of RM472 million (100 million euro) worth
of seafood products to the EU.
-- BERNAMA