ISLAMABAD: Quality seafood exports can fetch a fortune for Pakistan if the country switches from the traditional seafood preservation methods to the nitrogen-based freezing technique.
“Such shift will make this sector more productive and sustainable,” said Fang Yu Long, Senior Vice-President of Pak-China Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCJCCI), in an interview.
He said China is a great market for Pakistani seafood as the latter exports about 29% of its seafood outcrop to the former. “At least seven to eight different types of fish are consumed in China. Most of the Pakistani exports of seafood there consist of sole fish, ribbon fish, mackerel and squid. About 70% of sole fish exported from Pakistan is used for culinary in Tianjin city as it is very popular there,” he said.
“The quantity of seafood exports can be increased with more qualitative preservation and freezing. The regular methods of freezing are somehow outdated. They must now be upgraded to the modern nitrogen-based quick freeze method, which ensures that the product is frozen in just a few minutes,” Fang Long explained.
Hamza Khalid told, Vice-President of PCJCCI, said the value-added seafood export from Pakistan could earn the country more profits. “Globally, seafood in both fresh and frozen forms is high in demand. To maintain the quality of frozen seafood, Pakistani exporters must switch to nitrogen-based quick freeze and preservation methods.” He said that according to his knowledge, only one company has adopted this method in Pakistan. He urged more traders to adopt this technology to help increase Pakistani seafood exports.
Discussing the need to establish nitrogen-based quick freezing units in Pakistan, Mian Saeed Fareed, Chief Executive Officer of a Karachi-based seafood exporting company – Legend International Private Limited – said to retain the quality of seafood, nitrogen-based freezing is better than traditional mechanical systems (taking hours to freeze the seafood). “Nitrogen is available in the country but it is costly. Its high price increases the processing cost three times the existing methods. However, if it is provided at subsidised rates, stakeholders related to this business will be in a much better position to adopt this technology easily,” he stressed.
In an interview, Amin Lassi, assistant director at a Karachi-based seafood processing and exporting company – Mukhi Noor Din & Sons -– said their company is exporting a variety of seafood to different parts of the world, including China. “To make seafood production more qualitative in Pakistan, the nitrogen-based quick freeze method needs to be adopted. The method helps retain quality and freshness of the product. Nitrogen-based freezing is faster, reduces microbial growth, and produces an excellent quality product,” he explained.
“Our company has established a nitrogen-based freezing unit with a capacity to freeze from 500 kilogrammes to a tonne of seafood per hour. Almost all types of seafood can be preserved here. The plant does not remain active continuously. It is made operational now and then only according to the specific demand of a client,” he said, adding that this method is, however, costly. He demanded availability of nitrogen at subsidised rates to help promote the use of the latest freezing method. –INP
