Jeddah ban and halt in smuggling to Iran have significantly brought seafood prices down in the local market and fears the fisheries sector''s financial losses could touch Rs 60 million. The country''s fisheries sector received another ban on its seafood export for bad quality - this time in the Middle East, the market players fear a huge financial scam like the one of Makran Fisheries scandal in the offing.
The exporters tried to turn over the fisheries market with robust export of fresh seafood to the Middle Eastern countries without proper calculations, they observed, saying "now the Jeddah ban on seafood brought them on the verge of bankruptcy". They said the Jeddah ban had plunged the mole holders in a deep shock and were concerned for recovery of their millions of rupees credits from exporters. "There are about eight Pakistani exporters dealing in seafood trade in Jeddah market," they pointed out. Besides, these exporters also owe at least Rs 7 million each to cargo agents of different airlines, they said, adding the country''s air transportation of seafood export normally to Saudi Arabia stood at about 16 tons a day.
Another major reason behind the seafood price decline, they said is that the continued smuggling of fish to Iran had halted because of the Persian New Year holidays known as, Nawruz festival. "At least 18 trucks a day were reaching Iran border with loaded tons of fish from Karachi fisheries," they said, adding the celebrating Iranians have sealed the border and are on leave for 10 days".
Price of the export quality of Red Snapper (Hira) has come down to Rs 250 per kg from Rs 480, Silvery Grunter (Dhother) to Rs 170 per kg from Rs 350, Red Banded Grouper to Rs 250 per kg from Rs 600 and White Pomfret (Paplet) to Rs 650 per from Rs 1000, they said. Price of Tiger shrimp (big) has declined to Rs 1000 per kg from Rs 1700 and shrimp (normal) to Rs 550 per kg from Rs 1000, they added.
It may be mentioned here that Jeddah has banned import of fresh seafood from Pakistan after its food inspectors found fish in bad quality and undersized. Jeddah is the second exporting venue after EU banning seafood import from Pakistan on quality grounds. EU had stopped seafood trade with Pakistan in 2007.