In yet in another blow to Andhra Preadesh’s agriculturists, the European Union has rejected as many as five containers of shrimp produced in the State during the present fiscal, citing the presence of excessive levels of antibiotics. “Rejection of shrimp year after year will put pressure on exporters to improve quality to meet the standards prescribed by the European Union. It is sad to note that 100 metric tonnes shrimp has been rejected,” said Fisheries Department Additional Director K. Seetaramaraju.
In the financial year 2017-18, a total of eight containers were rejected. The excessive use of antibiotics across coastal Andhra Pradesh has emerged as an area for concern.
US tightens norms
“The EU is particular that each pond should be geo-tagged to identify the farm practices and quality. The United States has also come up with more stringent directives to import shrimp from early 2019,” said Mr. Seetaramaraju.
Responding to the situation, the Fisheries Department has made regularisation and geo-tagging of all the ponds mandatory. It is keeping an eye on sale and use of banned antibiotics.
Special teams
Two high-level teams have been constituted by the department to crack the whip on unauthorised hatcheries and prevent the sale of banned antibiotics. “We have collected samples of banned antibiotics from two shops in Machilipatnam and sent another team to the Godavari districts to conduct raids on aqua shops,” he said.
The Fisheries Department will send samples of seized antibiotics for tests to a Vijayawada-based laboratory.
