Solutions for quality seafood products exporting to the EU markets

International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume V, Issue VIII, August 2021 | ISSN 2454–6186

Solutions for quality seafood products exporting to the EU markets

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Le Nguyen Doan Khoi
Department of Scientific Research Affairs, Can Tho University

Abstract: Quality and safety standards especially in the seafood sector have been an essential component of food consumption. Similarly, with the increases in income, consumers in developed nations started to be selective on the products they purchase. Health hazards from the seafood can arise from the raw materials used, from handling and through the other stages involved in the processing, transportation, storage and the sale of the food. Most seafood quality problems from developing countries is related to poorly defined inspection and approval procedures, weak technical regulations, and lack of staff for inspection and laboratory testing. Moreover, poor levels of personal hygiene and sanitation, lack of infrastructure for fish marketing and distribution and poorly defined institutional framework are also the causes for poor quality of seafood from these countries. This paper presented the solutions to fulfil the major challenges for seafood exporting concerns meeting quality standards set by EU markets.

Key words: seafood products, EU markets, quality standards

I. INTRODUCTION

The rapid increase of food quality and safety standards in developed nations can be stated as one of the major challenges of seafood exporters. Thus, the export performance of the company highly depends on its ability to comply with higher food quality and safety standards in these markets. In order to fully meet the EU regulations of quality and safety, the company needs to overcome its current constraints including the shortage of stores, un-standardized processing plants, ineffective refrigerators and maintenance problems.

Food quality has dimensions related both to its production process and the final product. Its determinants can be grouped into four as: hygienic properties, nutritional properties, functional properties and organoleptic properties. Importing firms in general and EU wholesalers in particular have tight rules regarding fish imports from developing nations. The seafood exporter from developing economies have to adapt to the new and more stringent rules concerning safety and quality standards such as the implementation of the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) system for EUmarkets, which could have a considerable impact on the volume of products exported in the short-medium term. The seafood exporters from developing countries; therefore, may find it difficult to overcome their problems and meet the requirements of their customers in EU markets easily on their own.

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