Qatar lifts ban on frozen seafood from India

Tags: International News

Marine Products Exports Development Authority (MPEDA) has said that Qatar partially lifted a ban imposed last year on the import of frozen seafood from India on 18 February.

An overview of the news

• The ban will continue on exports of chilled seafood, which accounts for about a third of the West Asian country's total seafood exports in 2021-22 with the worth of Rs 143 crore.

• Frozen seafood is stored at minus 20 degrees, while chilled seafood is stored at 3-4 degrees Celsius.

• In the current financial year, India's seafood exports to the West Asian country stood at around Rs 90 crore, with prawns taking the number one spot.

• China has also lifted the suspension of shipments from 99 Indian seafood processing and export units. 

• Now seafood exports are expected to cross USD 8 billion in the current fiscal.

Why was the ban imposed?

• This ban was imposed in November 2022.

• Vibrio cholerae, the bacteria that causes cholera infection, was reportedly detected in consignments exported from India to Qatar ahead of the FIFA World Cup. After this these food products were banned.