SHILLONG: The Andhra Pradesh Fish Traders and Packers Association, after a meeting with the fish merchants of the Northeastern states in the city on Sunday, allayed fears of formalin in imported fish.
Last year, there was ban on formalin-laced fish briefly in the Northeast.
The president of Andhra Pradesh Fish Traders and Packers Association, V K Prasad said fish is imported after conducting regular checking. “We are very much carful about the issue of formalin and there is quality checking at import points,’’ he said. He hinted that the problem may be when a retailer wants to preserve the fish beyond a certain period of time.
Prasad said the packaging of fish is done such a way so that there is no damage at least for ten days and the trucks carrying fish arrive in the Northeastern states before ten days. According to Prasad, the trucks reach Shillong on the sixth day.
Andhra Pradesh sends 250 trucks carrying fish daily to different parts of India and 40 trucks arrive in the North East. He said teams from Bihar and Nagaland had visited the fish importing points and they were convinced about the quality control as the Andhra Pradesh government is also monitoring the fish import following media reports about the use of formalin.
Andhra ready to help in fish farming
Prasad said his association is ready to assist Meghalaya fish merchants or the state government in fish farming. He admitted that fish production in Meghalaya is affected due to different climatic condition and water bodies unlike Andhra Pradesh.
KHADC Executive Member in-charge fisheries, Mitchel Wankhar, who was also present in the meeting, said the Andhra Pradesh fish merchants can give training to their counterparts in Meghalaya on fish farming. “We can send a team to Andhra Pradesh in this regard”, he said.
KHADC initiative
The MDC also said he will approach the Centre to provide funds to the district council to carry out fish farming.
Currently, there are only four fish ponds at Umling, Ri Bhoi managed by the KHADC. “We want to revamp the fisheries department of the Council”, he said.
Wankhar, who is also the president of Khasi Jaintia Fish Wholesaler and Retailer Association (KJFWRA), said Meghalaya would not be able to be self sufficient with local fish production.
