Shrimp Guild warned that the elimination of the Ministry of Aquaculture will be a set back

Ecuadornews:

The National Chamber of Aquaculture (CNA) reported that the Ecuadorian shrimp sector rejects the elimination of the Ministry of Aquaculture and Fisheries (MAP) because it could weaken the country’s aquaculture and fishing production.

“The intention is considered a setback, to pretend that the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, assume additional powers of two important export sectors, which together represent more 5% of the Gross Domestic Product of the country,” said the entity on Tuesday August 28 of 2018 through a statement.

The institution acknowledged that the National Government seeks to optimize public spending. But that this would mean reducing the resources designated for the institutionalization of fishing and aquaculture activities, which puts exports at risk.

“Only the shrimp sector contributes more than USD 3 038 for export, according to figures from the Central Bank and generates around 261,000 direct and indirect jobs,” said the president of the CNA, José Antonio Camposano.

COMUNICADO| Sector camaronero rechaza la eliminación del Ministerio de Acuacultura y Pesca para ser fusionado con el Ministerio de Agricultura y Ganadería. Los argumentos en el siguiente boletín https://t.co/QWu31IguJC. pic.twitter.com/wuisF6AwWb

— Cámara Acuacultura (@cnaecuador) 28 de agosto de 2018

In the trade, the shrimp sector requested a reconsideration to the authorities and pointed out that this product must comply with rigorous sanitary norms of safety and traceability in its destination markets.

The president recalled that in the coming days the European Union will carry out a sanitary inspection of Ecuador, thus maintaining the management of the Undersecretary of Quality and Safety (SCI).

The CNA stressed that these sectors require a different and specialized treatment, as determined by President Lenin Moreno on May 24, 2017 when decreeing the creation of the MAP. (I)

Source:  https://www.elcomercio.com/actualidad/camara-acuacultura-rechazo-eliminacion-ministerio.html