Marine Products Export Development Authority Chairman, KS Srinivas has asked aqua-culture farmers to refrain from using any banned antibiotics in the shrimp culture system.

He stressed the need to contain the detection of antibiotic residues in farmed shrimp consignments in markets such as the EU, the USA and Japan for enhancing India’s market share. Indian seafood can take up a larger market share, if the quality is ensured, he said.

Srinivas was speaking at a virtual function to mark the inauguration of MPEDA’s 13th Elisa laboratory at Pattukottai in Tamil Nadu. The laboratory is expected to cater to the antibiotic testing needs of aqua farmers in Thanjavur, Pudukottai, Ramanathapuram, Thoothukkudi and Kanyakumari districts.

PHT testing

He also urged the farmers to utilise the laboratory services to the maximum so that they will get a better sales value by ensuring the quality and traceability of the produce. He informed that the pre-harvest testing process is completely made through an online platform so that farmers need not visit the lab to get the test done. The lab at Pattukottai has samplers to collect samples for testing based on the online request placed by farmers.

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The farmed shrimps meant for export to the EU are subject to pre-harvest testing (PHT) in the Elisa laboratories set up by MPEDA. The raw material is screened for the presence of banned antibiotic residues such as Nitrofurans and Chloramphenicol. The authority has set up 12 Elisa laboratories for this PHT certification programme in the farming clusters of coastal States from Gujarat to West Bengal.

MPEDA chairman also reminded the farmers and other stakeholders to remain vigilant on Covid-19 infections and requested them to follow the prescribed protocols to prevent the pathogen and nucleic material contaminating the value chain.