The last five or six years has seen significant
changes in the export market for food products
– changes brought about by the demands for
safer food products by major consumer markets
(USA, European Union, etc). The food safety processing
system based on Hazard Analysis Critical Control
Point (HACCP) for handling, processing and marketing
food products is now accepted globally. National
and International food safety standards and regulations
are largely based on HACCP principles. So wide
is its acceptance that HACCP is built into international
trade agreement such as the WTO agreement on Sanitary
and Phytosanitary Measures Provisions and Principles
(SPS).
It
is the food manufacturer that is primarily responsible
for food safety, and for seafood, it is the fish
exporting industry. It is also recognised that
the sector needs to be regulated effectively for
the benefit of all exporters – to help protect
and improve the international reputation of the
country as an exporter of quality product.
Over
the same period, the trade in fishery products
has become more global – especially for chilled
seafood. Technological and air-freight improvements
mean that it is feasible to ship fresh-chilled
products from one side of the globe to the other
without significant deterioration in quality.
However, this is not yet common in the Pacific.
Exports of chilled products are currently mostly
limited to Pacific Rim countries such as Japan,
USA, Australia and Canada.
It
is clear that Pacific exporters are keen to export
more seafood products overseas and that they have
a particular interest is the European market new
to them. However, a number of identified constraints
must be overcome. These include:
