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FISH SEIZED
Customs detains container with tilapia from Asia
PATRICK FOSTER, Observer writer fosterp@jamaicaobserver.com
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
CUSTOMS has detained a container with fresh water fish consigned to Jamaica Broilers, which it alleged was illegally imported.
Chief veterinary officer in the Ministry of Agriculture, Osbil Watson, said the fish allegedly originated in Asia from where importation of meats are currently not allowed and permits not granted by Jamaica.
"We don't at this time issue permits for the importation of products of this kind from Asia," Watson told the Observer yesterday.
However, Chris Levy, CEO of Jamaica Broilers - the island's top provider of meat products - dismissed the incident as an error of documentation, adding that tilapia was imported regularly from Asian countries.
"We have brought it in before," he told the Observer.
He was unable to give the exact quantity of the current shipment but said it was a single container that had other meat products.
Levy added that tilapia was also brought into the island from Asia by other meat importers and was actually being sold openly in supermarkets.
Watson, who admitted yesterday that Asian fish have in fact been showing up on supermarket shelves locally, said it that was nonetheless in contravention of import regulations.
"We have seen them in the supermarkets and are dealing with that," he said.
Watson alleged that Asian meats were being transhipped through a US-based company and marketed to countries globally, including Jamaica.
The practice, he said, posed problems of verification about the origin of the meats.
"We would prefer if a product is imported from the country of origin and not through a third country," he told the Observer.
Concern surrounds the safety of meats produced in China and other Asian countries, given recent incidents of melamine-tainted milk and the possibility of contaminants such as lead and mercury in seafood.
"Our primary concern is that the products are safe for human consumption," Watson said. "We are not going to wait until people get sick, then we act," he added.
"Our bottom line is to guarantee safe food for the public. We will facilitate a company but not at the point of putting lives at risk," said Watson.
Jamaica Broilers produces fresh water fish locally through its subsidiary, Aquaculture Jamaica.
Customs detains container with tilapia from Asia
PATRICK FOSTER, Observer writer fosterp@jamaicaobserver.com
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
CUSTOMS has detained a container with fresh water fish consigned to Jamaica Broilers, which it alleged was illegally imported.
Chief veterinary officer in the Ministry of Agriculture, Osbil Watson, said the fish allegedly originated in Asia from where importation of meats are currently not allowed and permits not granted by Jamaica.
"We don't at this time issue permits for the importation of products of this kind from Asia," Watson told the Observer yesterday.
However, Chris Levy, CEO of Jamaica Broilers - the island's top provider of meat products - dismissed the incident as an error of documentation, adding that tilapia was imported regularly from Asian countries.
"We have brought it in before," he told the Observer.
He was unable to give the exact quantity of the current shipment but said it was a single container that had other meat products.
Levy added that tilapia was also brought into the island from Asia by other meat importers and was actually being sold openly in supermarkets.
Watson, who admitted yesterday that Asian fish have in fact been showing up on supermarket shelves locally, said it that was nonetheless in contravention of import regulations.
"We have seen them in the supermarkets and are dealing with that," he said.
Watson alleged that Asian meats were being transhipped through a US-based company and marketed to countries globally, including Jamaica.
The practice, he said, posed problems of verification about the origin of the meats.
"We would prefer if a product is imported from the country of origin and not through a third country," he told the Observer.
Concern surrounds the safety of meats produced in China and other Asian countries, given recent incidents of melamine-tainted milk and the possibility of contaminants such as lead and mercury in seafood.
"Our primary concern is that the products are safe for human consumption," Watson said. "We are not going to wait until people get sick, then we act," he added.
"Our bottom line is to guarantee safe food for the public. We will facilitate a company but not at the point of putting lives at risk," said Watson.
Jamaica Broilers produces fresh water fish locally through its subsidiary, Aquaculture Jamaica.
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