"Nod for another 20 firms is in the pipeline and country's exports of seafood to the union should be substantially up this year", sources told PTI.Exports of marine products to the union was worth $100.71 million during April-November 1998 as against $76.14 million during the same period in 1997.

However, the comparative increase in volume and value of exports of acquaculture products to the union this year was because of a steep fall during 1997-98, when EU had imposed ban on imports of seafood from India citing lack of hygienic and phytosanitary measures.

The four month ban on exports was partially lifted in November 1997, with a few firms meeting the european hygienic standards certified to export to EU.In volume terms, increase in exports during the first eight months of the current fiscal was 7641tonnes from 24273 tonnes during the corresponding period last year.

The ban imposed by the union had forced the commerce ministry to lay down stringent qualification norms for firms to be eligible for export to europe. As per guidelines laid down by the commerce ministry, domestic firms wanting to export to the European Union is required to first apply to any of the five Export Inspection Agencies (EIA) under the ministry, sources said.An Inter Departmental Panel (IDP) comprising one each representative from EIA, Marine Products Export and Development Authority (MPEDA) and Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (CIFT), Kochi will inspect the hygienic conditions of the firms.

After getting a satisfactory report from the IDP, a supervisory audit team of CIFT would coduct a final visit to the export processing units and recommend firms to Export Inspection Council (EIC), which is the final authority to decide on the eligibility of firms to export, they said."It is the commerce ministry which finallyforwards the list of firms seeking to export to union with an assurance about hygeinic condition of products exported," sources said.

Besides 59 firms already given nod by the EIC, seven freezer vessels were cleared by the council to enable exporters increase the volume of exports.The EIA carries out regular inspection of the units certified for exports to ensure that they deligently followed the norms laid down by it.

"The decision to have regular inspection was to make sure that there was no laxity on the part of exporters and the EU does not ban Indian seafoods again," sources added. Meanwhile, total exports of marine products from India during april-november was down 12.16 per cent at 767.33 million dollars as against $873.53 million during the same period last year, they said.