MPEDA Hosts the Governing Council Meeting of INFOFISH

KOCHI:
The Marine Products Export Development Authority has hosted the 32nd Governing Council Meeting of INFOFISH, an Inter Governmental Organization under the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) headquartered at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
The Governing Council Meeting was held from 11th to 14th December 2017 at MPEDA Head Quarters and was attended by the 19 delegates from various countries including India. The meeting was chaired by Dr. A. Jayathilak IAS, Chairman, MPEDA who is also the Chairman of INFOFISH.
India was represented in the meeting by Mr. P.V. Harikrishna, Director, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, New Delhi and Mr. B. Sreekumar, Secretary, MPEDA. Delegates from countries such as Cambodia, Fiji, Malaysia, Maldives, Papua New Guinea, Philippines and Thailand attended the meeting. There was an observer from FAO also. The Governing Council Meeting had presentations on review of major markets, technological developments etc. by INFOFISH Officers and FAO.
The meeting had deliberations on the market aspects, interventions required for the trade and the role of INFOFISH in assisting member countries and collaborating with the similar organizations under the FAO umbrella in augmenting trade from the region to different countries, besides following the administrative agenda points including the work programme for 2018.
As a part of the meeting, a day’s field visit was arranged for the delegates to the aqua farms and seafood processing units in and around Cochin and neighboring districts such as Thrissur and Alappuzha, for them to understand the seafood production and processing systems here. The delegates also found time to enjoy some sightseeing and shopping in Cochin, and were in full praise of the city, its greenery, seafood and cosmopolitan hospitality.