China lifts restrictions on Indian seafood imports

New Delhi, February 16

China has lifted the suspension on 99 Indian seafood-processing and exporting units after acknowledging New Delhi’s assurance over source control, according to the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA). The move is expected to raise India’s export of marine products by 5 per cent to 10 per cent in the next financial year, said MPEDA chairman DV Swamy.

Non-conformity with the trade requirements of China upon virtual inspection had led to the non-acceptance of seafood cargo from the units concerned. Efforts by the MPEDA, along with the Export Inspection Council, Embassy of India at Beijing and the Department of Commerce, yielded result as all units have complied with the requirements.

The country’s seafood export to China was worth $1.17 billion in 2021-22, a 25 per cent rise over the $939.17 million in the previous fiscal. India had 475 establishments that exported seafood during 2021-22.