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MOROCCO MOVING UP TO QUALITY
By Dr. Amadau Tall, Director INFOPECHE
Abstract
The key to successful penetration to the international market is the quality
of the products. Following the promulgation of new and stricter quality
requirements by the major fish importing countries and also the adoption of
Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) by the Codex alimentarius and the World Trade Organization, the fish
exporting countries including Morocco,
initiated activities to modernize their fishery industry and put in place
quality assurance systems for their products.
As these changes happened in the main importing countries, producers in Morocco become
increasingly aware of their significance. The traditional methods of
preservation and the simple systems for marketing and distribution of fish in
Morocco
pose a big challenge for applying effective quality assurance programmes for
fish and fishery products
In Morocco, the fishery sector represents 16.6 per
cent of the agricultural GDP. In terms of value, the fish products account
for over 60 per cent of the national export and 15 per cent of the total
exports. In terms of volume, about 80 per cent of the total products traded
is sent to EU market; 13 per cent to Asian countries, mainly to Japan. Due to
the high value species exported to Japan, Asia represents one third of the
value and EU over half of the value.
Fish exports are increasing in volume and variety, representing a significant
challenge for the National Competent Authority. The situation requires
appropriate organization, resources, logistics and training to ensure that
exported fish complies with international quality requirements
This paper focuses on the efforts made by Morocco to adapt
to the new, stricter safety and hygiene regulations for fish and fishery
products, particularly the introduction of the Quality Seal “label Maroc”.
1.0 BACKGROUND*
The key to successful penetration to the international market is the quality
of the products. Following the promulgation of new and stricter quality
requirements by the major fish importing countries and also the adoption of
Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) by the Codex alimentarius and the World Trade Organization (WTO), the
fish exporting countries including Morocco,
initiated activities to modernize their fishery industry and put in place
systems to assure quality of their products.
HACCP was developed in the early 1970s by the Pillsbury Company in the USA as a
mean of providing assurance about safety of food that were to be used in the
US Space Program. Initially, HACCP was used to control microbial risks in
food, and in this way it become the basis for the
control of food safety. It has been used in the processing of Low-Acid Canned
Food (LACF) for a number of years.
It was not until the 1980s that a number of regulatory authorities developed
an interest in HACCP as a tool for use in food safety. New and stricter
legislation based on the HACCP approach was introduced in major fish markets,
notably the USA
and EU, to secure safer fish and fishery products. Furthermore, the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) gave it international
importance through the development of guidelines for HACCP application.
The guidelines were adopted by Codex Alimentarius
Commission in 1993 and during the following years several Expert
Consultations focused on HACCP and its application. In 1997, CAC adopted
basic texts on food hygiene, including a revised text on the HACCP system and
guidelines for its application.
As these changes happened in the main importing countries, producers in Morocco become
increasingly aware of their significance. The traditional methods of
preservation and the simple systems for marketing and distribution of fish in
Morocco pose a big challenge for applying effective quality assurance
programmes for fish and fishery products
This paper focuses on the efforts made by Morocco countries to adapt to the
new, stricter safety and hygiene regulations for fish and fishery products,
particularly the introduction of the Quality Seal ,
“label Maroc”.
2.0 ECONOMIC CONTEXT
The coastline of morocco measures over 3500 km and offers a favourable
setting for fisheries. An average of 913,339 tons of fish fishery products
were harvested in the territorial waters in 2002 and the value fetched € 694
million (table 1) . Currently, the sector is a
source of employment for 34,500 persons however, less than 1/3 of the
landings are sold locally in fresh form.
The population in 2001 was estimated at 30 million persons
and the per capita consumption is around 8,5 kg,
this does not include the canned products.
The contribution of fish as food in country’s diet
is still very low and different actions are being implemented as well as a
quality assurance programme concerning the placing in market of good and safe
products.
2.0 ECONOMIC CONTEXT
The coastline of morocco measures over 3500 km and offers a favourable
setting for fisheries. An average of 913,339 tons of fish fishery products
were harvested in the territorial waters in 2002 and the value fetched € 694
million (table 1) . Currently, the sector is a
source of employment for 34,500 persons however, less than 1/3 of the
landings are sold locally in fresh form.
The population in 2001 was estimated at 30 million persons and the per capita
consumption is around 8,5 kg, this does not include the
canned products.
The contribution of fish as food in country’s diet
is still very low and different actions are being implemented as well as a
quality assurance programme concerning the placing in market of good and safe
products.
Further, the new context of globalisation, especially in terms of food
marketing, ignores any difference between domestic and export products, in
fact there is no discrimination between products consumed locally and
products for foreign markets. It would have been useful to elaborate on this
issue too, rather than focusing only on compliance with importing countries’
requirements
Also, Morocco
is under Structural Adjustment Programmes recommended by the World Bank and
the International Monetary Fund. These policies call for a gradual removal of
Trade barriers and the implementation of a free-market economy. As a result,
a variety of fishery products, exported from Morocco are
currently available on the EU and Asian market
The fishery sector represents 16.6 per cent of the agricultural GDP. In terms
of value, the fish products account for over 60 per cent of the national
export and 15 per cent of the total exports. In terms of volume, about 80 per
cent of the total products traded is sent to EU market (see table 2); 13 per
cent to Asian countries, mainly to Japan. Due to
the high value species exported to Japan, Asia represents one third of the
value and EU over half of the value.
Fish exports are increasing in volume and variety, representing a significant
challenge for the National Competent Authority. The situation requires
appropriate organization, resources, logistics and training to ensure that
exported fish complies with international quality requirements.
This can be achieved only if a preventive-measure approach to fish inspection
and quality assurance is adopted and implemented, as recommended by various
national food control authorities (major importing countries) and
international bodies such as UNIDO, FAO, WHO, WTO and the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC).
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