Qatar, Iran, Lebanon new growth markets for SL ornamental fish
View(s):Sri Lanka’s ornamental fish (O-Fish) exports had grown to US$10.7 million in 2013, up 41 per cent from 2012. Having 40 regular exporting companies, this country has achieved a 2.7 per cent share of the $400 million global market for these fish, with USA,UK, Germany, Japan and France making up the top five markets for local exporters.
Further, new markets for local ornamental fish exporters include Qatar, Iran and Lebanon, three Middle Eastern countries that have increased their demand for Sri Lanka’s ornamental fish for the first time in 2013. Additionally, other new market opportunities encompass Switzerland, Spain and Taiwan.
The above were just some of the facts revealed at this week’s inauguration of the first-ever Sri Lankan International Ornamental Fish Trade Conference (SLIOFT).
According to a launch statement, the “November 10-11 SLIOFT also focused on recent advances in different sub sectors like O-Fish farming, health, live fish survival rates and methods in exports, etc. More than 200 local and international delegates from Sri Lanka, Singapore, Israel, Indonesia, Malaysia, India, Norway Netherlands, Papua New Guinea, and Australia took part in the two day sessions in Colombo”.
Additionally, the statement also showcased local Commerce Minister Rishad Bathiudeen’s keynote speech at the event, wherein he commented the “government will intervene in securing new technology to provide information and incentives to the medium and small scale ornamental fish entrepreneurs to access the international markets. In fact on behalf of our ornamental fish producers let me commend President Mahinda Rajapaksa for his many unprecedented initiatives to safeguard Sri Lanka’s aquaculture in the Budget 2015. The total value of these budgetary initiatives is almost $2 million. We also usually enforce certain ornamental fish import certificate requirements to safeguard our existing fish base. The EDB has launched six ornamental fishery projects in Polonnaruwa District to expand this base”.
Meanwhile, Bandula Egodage, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Sri Lanka’s Export Development Board (EDB), was also quoted as revealing that the “EDB assisted quarantine quality assurance for 26 main exporters, focusing on the survival quality and lowering Dead on Arrival (DoA) rates of our live fish. With the intervention of the Sri Lankan Air Force Commander, new initiatives have been introduced to deliver live fish stocks without opening them while at transit, so that DoA rates are lowered even further”.
(JH)