Sri Lanka resumes exporting fishery products to Europe after ban lifted

Sri Lanka on Wednesday resumed exporting fishery products to the European Union (EU) one week after the EU lifted a ban it imposed last year on the country’s fishery products.

Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Mahinda Amaraweera said the first consignment of fish exports was sent to Amsterdam in the Netherlands, Xinhua news agency reported.

He said Sri Lanka will now export fishery products to several other EU countries as well.

The European Commission on 17 June lifted the ban with immediate effect after evaluating the progress Sri Lanka made in complying with the European Union requirements needed to fulfill to get the ban lifted.

Sri Lanka’s seafood exports were severely hit by the ban and continued to decline since the announcement of the ban in October 2014. In the year 2015, Sri Lanka’s seafood exports declined 35.5% to $ 163.1 million compared to $ 252.7 million earned in 2014.

Sri Lanka was previously the second biggest exporter of fresh and chilled swordfish and tuna to the EU with exports worth 74 million euros ($ 83.4 million) in 2013.