ORGANIC CERTIFICATION SCHEME TO BOOST LOCAL AQUACULTURE INDUSTRY

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 29 (Bernama) -- The Fisheries Department is developing an
organic certification scheme under the Malaysian Aquaculture Farm Certification
Scheme to help boost the local aquaculture industry.

Its Director-General, Junaidi Che Ayub, said Tuesday the move was in line
with the government's aim to be among the main contributors of organic fish and
and shrimp in the Asean.

Currently all farms producing aquaculture products under the Common Fund for
Commodities/Food and Agriculture Organisation/INFOFISH -CFC/FAO/INFOFISH Organic
Aquaculture Project were getting certification from Thailand's Organic
Aquaculture Farms and Products Certification Centre (OAPC), he said.

"It is hoped that by having this organic certification scheme, the cost of
getting certification from abroad will be minimised," he said after opening
the CFC/FAO/INFOFISH Workshop on Organic Aquaculture Production and Product
Marketing here.

He said there were many products in the market which claimed to be
organically farmed but were without certification and thus had no warranty that
the producers were following the organic principles and standards.

"I would like to caution everybody here Tuesday that for a product to be
considered organic it has to be certified. It is an assurance for the buyers and
consumers to rely on when there is certification on the product," he said.

Expressing the hope that more farmers in Malaysia would pick up organic
practice, he believed that the workshop organised by the department and
Intergovernmental Organisation for Marketing Information and Technical Advisory
Services for Fishery Products in the Asia and Pacific Region (INFOFISH) will be
a good start to this effort.

"The domestic market for organically produced fish products has not been
fully tapped, unlike that for vegetables and fruits.

"Therefore, I hope all present here today will take the initiative to
discuss it and get their networking going since the workshop participants
consist of farmers, feed millers, processors, buyers, and government officials
and all of you will be the ones to determine the direction for organic
aquaculture in Malaysia," he added.
-- BERNAMA