Govt to encourage value addition to fish

NAMIBIA’S fishing industry will receive more support from Government to increase local value addition to fish catches, which will earn Namibia more foreign-exchange earnings than raw fish exports.

Cabinet has approved several measures to this effect, including the setting up of a Namibian Export Promotion Agency and the review of quota levies to encourage local value addition. The Cabinet Committee on Trade and Economic Development also made input in a study commissioned by the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources.It was done between November 2006 and January 2007 and is entitled ‘Assessment of Opportunities for Increased Value Addition and Improved Marketing of Namibian Marine Fish Products’.The main findings were that Namibia mainly exports raw fish, but that the country is beginning to see more value addition done by a number of Namibian processing companies.It also suggested that more local value addition could be achieved to ensure job creation and foreign-exchange earnings if the seafood industry was accorded Export Processing Zone (EPZ) status and if an export-promoting agency was established.The study also found that increased Government support could be made available for export promotion.The State should encourage fishing companies to add value locally by reducing quota levies proportional to value-added production and by rewarding performance with additional quotas, it recommended.”Although there is a downward trend in jobs in the fishing industry, it is estimated that between 3 000 and 7 000 jobs could be created through value addition in the Namibian fisheries sector,” the study was quoted in the Cabinet briefing paper.Cabinet directed the Ministries of Finance, Trade and Industry and Fisheries and Marine Resources to work out incentives to encourage value addition.Cabinet also directed the Ministry of Trade and Industry to expedite the establishment of the Namibia Export Promotion Agency.Funds will be made available to the Ministry of Fisheries to support market research into producing local value-added products, particularly where economic benefits and job creation are significant.Cabinet also mandated the Ministry to develop a Web site to promote Namibian fish in the international market.Cabinet further directed the Ministry of Trade and Industry to work with the Namibian seafood industry to ensure that value-added products are included during negotiations with the European Union on an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) – to be signed by December 31.Cabinet decided that training to promote value addition and marketing in the seafood sector should be prioritised by Government, the fishing and aquaculture industries.It recommended an investigation to work out regulations that a portion of annual fish landings should be supplied to the local market.Cabinet has appointed a Technical Committee comprising of the Ministries of Fisheries, Trade and Industry, Finance and the National Planning Commission to investigate its recommendations and to report its findings to the Cabinet Committee on Trade and Economic Development.The Cabinet Committee on Trade and Economic Development also made input in a study commissioned by the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources.It was done between November 2006 and January 2007 and is entitled ‘Assessment of Opportunities for Increased Value Addition and Improved Marketing of Namibian Marine Fish Products’.The main findings were that Namibia mainly exports raw fish, but that the country is beginning to see more value addition done by a number of Namibian processing companies.It also suggested that more local value addition could be achieved to ensure job creation and foreign-exchange earnings if the seafood industry was accorded Export Processing Zone (EPZ) status and if an export-promoting agency was established.The study also found that increased Government support could be made available for export promotion.The State should encourage fishing companies to add value locally by reducing quota levies proportional to value-added production and by rewarding performance with additional quotas, it recommended.”Although there is a downward trend in jobs in the fishing industry, it is estimated that between 3 000 and 7 000 jobs could be created through value addition in the Namibian fisheries sector,” the study was quoted in the Cabinet briefing paper.Cabinet directed the Ministries of Finance, Trade and Industry and Fisheries and Marine Resources to work out incentives to encourage value addition.Cabinet also directed the Ministry of Trade and Industry to expedite the establishment of the Namibia Export Promotion Agency.Funds will be made available to the Ministry of Fisheries to support market research into producing local value-added products, particularly where economic benefits and job creation are significant.Cabinet also mandated the Ministry to develop a Web site to promote Namibian fish in the international market.Cabinet further directed the Ministry of Trade and Industry to work with the Namibian seafood industry to ensure that value-added products are included during negotiations with the European Union on an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) – to be signed by December 31.Cabinet decided that training to promote value addition and marketing in the seafood sector should be prioritised by Government, the fishing and aquaculture industries.It recommended an investigation to work out regulations that a portion of annual fish landings should be supplied to the local market.Cabinet has appointed a Technical Committee comprising of the Ministries of Fisheries, Trade and Industry, Finance and the National Planning Commission to investigate its recommendations and to report its findings to the Cabinet Committee on Trade and Economic Development.