Malaysian sea product exporters must comply with the European Union’s (EU) food standards.

With compliance, they could not only sell their products to other countries but also domestically, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Rohani Karim said today.

"My ministry is here to motivate and help local seafood industry meet the requirements set by the EU.

"Once the standards are set for the local producers, it's easy for them to follow," she said after visiting Kuok Sui Sea Product Industries (S) Sdn Bhd in Sibu.

Rohani stressed that Malaysia had volunteered to de-register itself from the EU list and was not banned as mentioned by the media.

"Malaysia had requested a two-year period to prepare itself for compliance  with the EU requirements," she said.

Rohani said 42 companies were affected by the voluntary deregistration.

"We must prepare ourselves to meet the requirements beginning with our fishing boats, jetty, farms/ponds, food handling, processing, packaging and even the water used for freezing the shrimps.

"The EU is not only very particular about sanitation, but the emotional and mental state of the workers and their welfare are also their concerns," she added.

Rohani said her ministry would conduct training, routine checks on samples and sanitation, and provide advisory service to ensure they were ready for compliance.

"We want to show them (EU) that Malaysia is disciplined enough to carry out the responsibility entrusted to us.

"So far, Malaysia has come clean. I’m happy to say that since the first consignment to EU on May 14, 2009, we now have 16 farms and 12 premises complying with the standards. We are on the right track," she said.

- Bernama