Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA)

1) MPEDA PROFILE

The Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) is established under the Marine Products Export Development Authority Act 1972, (No 13 of 1972) by Government of India to promote the development, with special reference to export of marine products.

MPEDA is a nodal agency under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (Govt. of India) to promote the export of marine products. The role envisaged for the MPEDA under the statute is comprehensive covering all works relating to promotion of raw material production by capture and culture fisheries, processing, marketing, extension, specifying export standards and providing training in various aspects of the industry. It endeavors to strengthen the Indian seafood industry and set standards in the global seafood scenario. MPEDA also coordinate with other Ministries, State Governments, the Seafood Industry and Scientific & Research Institutions.

MPEDA at its Headquarters at Kochi has various sections like Quality Control, Laboratory, Aquaculture, Development, Marketing Service, Statistics, Publicity, Electronic Data Processing, Ornamental Fish, Administration, Official Language Implementation, Registration, Appraisal & Investment, Personnel and Accounts section. MPEDA’s organizational network consists of its Headquarters at Kochi, Kerala and twenty eight field offices across the maritime states of India. MPEDA also operates three societies (NaCSA, NETFISH and RGCA), three Trade Promotion Offices at New Delhi, India, Tokyo, Japan; and New York, USA.

MPEDA has established four state of the art Laboratories at Kochi (Kerala), Nellore (Andhra Pradesh), Bhimavaram (Andhra Pradesh) and Bhubaneswar (Odisha) for implementation of National Residue Control Plan (NRCP) as well as analysis of commercial samples. In addition to the above laboratories, MPEDA has setup eleven ELISA Laboratories across maritime states for Pre-Harvest screening of banned antibiotic residues like Chloramphenicol and Nitrofuran Metabolites in Aquaculture products.

The MPEDA QC laboratory at Nellore was set up in 2003.

The MPEDA is officially designated vide Govt. of India Notification S.O. 1034 (E) dated 09.09.2003 to carry out the National Residue Control Plan on behalf of the Competent Authority for testing of aquaculture products. Various government agencies and regulatory bodies from the importing countries visit these Laboratories.

The MPEDA QC Laboratory, Nellore is accredited by NABL since 2006 under IS/ISO/IEC 17025:2017.

2) Organization structure of MPEDA QC Lab, Nellore:

3) Schemes/activities/ action plan:

National Residue Control Plan (NRCP)

For export of fish and fishery products to EU, every country exporting aquaculture products has to submit an annual National Residue Control Plan to the EC as per Annex I of Council Directive 96/23/EC of 29th April 1996 covering substances having anabolic effect and banned substances, Veterinary drugs and contaminants.

Since 1998, MPEDA has been monitoring the aquaculture products like shrimp, scampi, etc for various parameters such as antibiotics and pesticides. From 2004 onwards, the residue monitoring programme was renamed as National Residue Control Plan (NRCP) as per the requirement laid down under 96/23/EC. In addition to the above, hatchery and feed samples are also analyzed for banned substances (Chloramphenicol & Nitrofurans).

The NRCP (annual plan) is reviewed every year based on the comments, if any, from the EU on previous year’s NRCP, recommendations of the Food and Veterinary Office (FVO) Missions to India, current statutory requirements to be followed by exporting countries to EU, rejections/rapid alerts for Indian marine products exported to EU, etc.

In accordance with EU Directives 96/23/EC and 98/179/EC, the samples are taken from different production and processing centers across the country and tested for residues. The present sampling procedure followed is based on the aquaculture production in the country/ registered site of production, as per chapter 3 of Annexure IV of EU Directive 96/23/EC. (96/23/EC Ref: NRCP for Aquaculture Products-India).

Based on the aquaculture production of the previous year and exports to EU, the Quality Control section prepares and submits the National Residue Control Plan to EU through the competent authority detailing the number of samples to be collected and analyzed during the year along with results of the previous year’s National Residue Control Plan. The monthly allocation of samples to be collected and forwarded by the field offices is informed to them with instructions to forward the samples as per the target. All the MPEDA Laboratories work in close association with each other.

As the samples are collected and submitted by field offices, they are considered as customers and the results are forwarded to them for necessary follow up. Results of Non-compliant samples are sent to the Competent Authority and others concerned for necessary action.

4) Contacts

5) Email /Postal address:

E-mail: lab.nel[at]mpeda[dot]gov[dot]in

Postal Address:

Assistant Director
The Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA)

Quality Control Laboratory (MOCI, Govt of India)
Srinivasa Towers, 4th Floor
D. No. 26-1-1766/A-1, Srinagar Colony, Mini Bye Pass Road,

SPSR Nellore – 524 003, Andhra Pradesh,
Phone: 0861-2319144

6) Important website links relating to the Department

https://www.mpeda.gov.in