One
of the missions of Fisheries Department, Ministry of Primary Resources
and Tourism is to significantly increase
production in fisheries industry by targeting export markets. The
Department of Fisheries therefore provides support and guidance to local
companies to ensure compliance and acceptance of their products by the
importing countries.
One
of the potential markets to be explored is the European Union (EU)
market. The initiatives undertaken by the Department
of Fisheries, Ministry of Primary Resources had resulted in the
approval to export to EU and the award of EU Numbers by the Directorate
General for Health and Food Safety (DG Sante), European Commission to
local companies deemed as qualified and approved to
export to the EU Markets by the Fisheries Department. The EU approval’s
effective entry into force was 5th December 2016.
This
is pursuant to the full recognition of the Department of Fisheries,
Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism
as the Competent Authority by the Directorate General for Health and
Food Safety (DG Sante), European Commission for exporting aquaculture
products from Brunei Darussalam to the countries in the European Union.
Approval for Brunei Darussalam has been published in the DG Sante website
https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/sanco/traces/output/non_eu_listsPerCountry_en.htm.
since 22 November 2016.
With the announcement and approval, two shrimp processing plants
operating in Tutong Serambangun namely Golden Corporation Sdn Bhd has
been given an EU Number which enable these factories to export their
products to the European market.
With this development, local entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to penetrate the European market which is estimated
to be worth EUR 21 billion a year, which contribute 24% of the global export market for seafood.
The
Department of Fisheries will expand the accreditation and the
recognition to other fisheries sector in line with
the 5-year Strategic Plan of the Ministry of Primary Resources and
Tourism and the Department of Fisheries. Exports of seafood products is
estimated to increase by approximately 121% by the year 2020 with an
estimated
value of over B $ 200 million a year.