NEW TECHNOLOGY TO PRESERVE AND PROCESS FOOD AND FISH PRODUCTS
Japanese company to assist SL
AJapanese company, ABI Ltd. has come forward to assist Sri Lanka to develop a new technology in preserving and processing food and fish.
The CAS (Cells Alive System), one of the most advanced and modern technologies developed in this decade is widely used in the EU, US, Japan and almost all other developed countries as the technology helps to preserve the quality, freshness and taste of processed food and in particular, fish and meat.
The Japanese company will assist Sri Lanka to double Tuna fish imports from Sri Lanka in 2018 and thereby to increase Sri Lanka’s Tuna export earnings to Japan to Rs. 4 billion from the current Rs. 2.1 billion, Fisheries and Water Resources Development Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said.
Minister Amaraweera said the pledge to double Tuna fish imports by Japan was given to him by the Japanese State Minister of Foreign Affairs, Masahisa Sato during his recent official tour to Japan.
After the withdrawal of fish exports ban by the EU, a major window of opportunity has been opened for fish exports from Sri Lanka to the global market. We have been able to treble the fish exports since the EU’S decision
A kilogram of high quality Tuna fish used in Japan for the preparation of Sushi and Sashimi costs Rs. 30,000 and Sri Lanka exports only 12% of the demand of Tuna fish in the Japanese market
to ban fish exports to the EU.
A kilogram of high quality Tuna fish used in Japan for the preparation of Sushi and Sashimi costs Rs. 30,000 and Sri Lanka exports only 12% of the demand of Tuna fish in the Japanese market. The aim of the Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development Ministry is to increase this to 25% in 2018, Minister Amaraweera added.
The CAS freezing technology for long-term storage by keeping tissue cells alive is considered the most advanced technology in food processing and preserving which will help Sri Lanka for large scale food exports including fish, Minister Amaraweera said and added the Fisheries Ministry expects to use this technology for fish exports as the EU and Japan are highly concerned on the quality, safety and taste of fish and meat imported from other countries.