Master plan finalised to develop harbour: MD KFHA tells Australian delegation

Managing Director (MD), Karachi Fish Harbour Authority (KFHA), Abdul Ghani Jokhio, feels that the EU ban on Pakistan's seafood export is somewhat on political basis, as the country's largest fish harbour offers much better facilities as compared to others in the region.
Pakistan's exports of seafood products including fish and shrimps were about $50 million a year to the EU countries till April 2007, when seafood exports from the country to the Union states were banned on hygiene grounds. At a meeting, which held at Karachi Fish Harbour with the visiting Austrian delegation including Ambassador, Axel Wech and Trade Commissioner, Dr Wolfgang Penzias, the MD KFHA said the EU's ban was unjustified.
He informed the delegates that the authority had finalised a master plan to develop the harbour on modern lines with better facilities in line with the global standards, as implementation of the plan would be started soon. He said the plan would cost Rs 6.5 billion.
He said the authority had provided the local fishermen with fibreglass boats, set up value-added processing plants, treatment plant, reverse osmosis plant and freezing plant, besides ice factories and flake Ice plants. He said the authority was also working on upgrading the existing infrastructure and developing new auction halls.
He told the visitors the authority's priority was to ensure production of safe and quality seafood products to the local and global consumers. He said the authority for this purpose had also modified fishing boats, provided plastic crates and baskets to fishermen and made available hand-operated pallet trucks at the harbour to carry the catch safely.
Jokhio urged the visiting officials of EU member state - Austria to play its role in dispelling the negative impression regarding Pakistan's seafood products, as the country's products had world-wide appeal. He said Pakistan's fish harbour was better developed with key fisheries facilities as compared to such ports of the neighbouring countries.
Expressing keen interests, the delegation informed the Pakistani officials about their purpose of the visit to negotiate possibilities of bilateral corporation between the countries. Extending his country's support, Dr Wolfgang Penzias hoped Pakistan would be able to fashion its global seafood brand, as the country had its world-wide hallmark for quality mango.
He told the fisheries officials that a high level Austrian trade delegation would visit Pakistan in April this year, including businessmen of fisheries sector to explore the potentials of Pakistan's seafood industry. Director General, Marine Fisheries Department, Shaukat Hussain, members of Pakistan Fisheries Exporters Association, Sindh Trawlers Owners and Fishermen Association and Fishermen Co-operative Society also attended the meeting. Shaukat Hussain briefed the delegation about the fishes, which were used to export to the EU member states including squid and cuttle fish for their huge appeal.