A special discussion was held at the Auditorium of the Ministry of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources on 07th of August with the aim of improving the quality of dried fish production in the country and making it suitable for the international market.
The meeting, chaired by the Deputy Minister of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources, Mr. Rathna Gamage, was attended by all stakeholders in the sector, including exporters, processors, manufacturers and suppliers.
The main objective of this discussion was to resolve the existing problems regarding the quality of dried fish exported from Sri Lanka to markets such as Europe, Canada and Australia that expect high standards.
During this discussion, views were exchanged at length on the problems faced by processors and exporters. The difficulty in sourcing high-quality dried fish locally was identified as their main problem. Furthermore, the quality issues prevailing in dried fish production in areas such as Negombo also discussed.
Speaking at the event, Deputy Minister of Fisheries, Aquatic and Ocean Resources, Mr. Rathna Gamage, stressed that the government is committed to provide prompt solutions to these problems under the new government program. "Our primary objective is to produce high-quality dried fish that meets the needs of importing countries and thereby strengthen the export market," the Deputy Minister said.
Accordingly, the Deputy Minister further explained that the following measures are expected to be taken:
- Providing technical knowledge: Introducing modern technologies required for high-quality dried fish production to producers.
- Encouraging the private sector: Providing the necessary facilities and knowledge to the private sector to establish factories that meet standards of the European Union.
- Improving quality: Providing the necessary assistance and support to improve the quality and sanitary conditions of dried fish production currently carried out in areas such as Negombo.
The producers who participated in this discussion expressed their consent to produce high-quality dried fish. The Ministry of Fisheries hopes to make the Sri Lankan dried fish industry an internationally competitive industry through this integrated approach.
