In a positive development for the seafood industry, the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) of Qatar has officially lifted the temporary ban on the importation of chilled seafood from the Philippines. The announcement, however, comes with specific control measures to ensure the safety and compliance of the imported products.
According to an advisory from the Export Marketing Bureau (EMB), exporters from the Philippines are required to submit a certificate of conformity issued by third-party inspectors in the country of origin before shipping the products to Qatar. The MOPH has released a list of authorized third-party inspectors, including three in the Philippines: TUV NORD Philippines, TUV Rheinland Philippines, and Intertek Testing Services Philippines Inc. Another authorized inspector, TUV Austria, operates through the Westin laboratory in Singapore.
This decision follows Qatar’s move in February to lift the ban on frozen seafood from the Philippines while maintaining import restrictions on chilled seafood products. The initial ban, implemented in November, was a precautionary measure to monitor the risk of contamination of fresh and frozen seafood products with Vibrio cholerae bacteria.
Notably, Qatar has also lifted the temporary ban on seafood imports from several other countries, including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri-Lanka.
The EMB has advised Philippine exporters to maintain strict compliance with food safety regulations to ensure the continued acceptance of their products in Qatar and other export markets. This development brings hope to the seafood industry in Bangladesh, as it looks forward to the resumption of chilled seafood exports to Qatar and the continued growth of its presence in international markets.
