India produces “guilt-free seafood” and its shrimp industry will not be derailed by reports of malpractice in the supply chain, according to the head of the government body responsible for promoting the country's seafood exports.
Dodda Venkaty Swamy, chairman of the Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA), said India had a “robust regulatory framework” for its seafood processing units, involving “stringent checks and controls” to ensure compliance with international standards.
Seeking to reassure global consumers, he denied accusations of labor abuse, unsanitary working conditions and food safety violations in the shrimp supply chain and said authorities in India conducted regular monitoring and inspections of the country’s many seafood operations.
