Shaphari certification scheme

Why in news?

• Shaphari certification scheme was launched recently.

About the certification scheme:

• It was developed by The Marine Products Exports Development Authority (MPEDA) for certification of aquaculture products.
• ‘Shaphari’ is a Sanksrit word that means superior quality of fishery products suitable for human consumption.
• The certification was proposed as a market-based tool for hatcheries to adopt good aquaculture practices and help produce quality antibiotic-free shrimp products to assure global consumers.
• Shaphari scheme is based on the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization’s technical guidelines on aquaculture certification and will have two components:
  • Certifying hatcheries for the quality of their seeds
  •  Approving shrimp farms that adopt the requisite good practices.
• The certification of hatcheries will help farmers easily identify good quality seed producers.
• Those who successfully clear multiple audits of their operations shall be granted a certificate for a period of two years.

About India’s Shrimp Exports

• Frozen shrimp is India’s largest exported seafood item.
• It constituted 50.58% in quantity and 73.2% in terms of total U.S. dollar earnings from the sector during 2019-20.
• Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Odisha, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu are India’s major shrimp producing States, and around 95% of the cultured shrimp produce is exported.
• The export was worth almost $5 billion in 2019-20, with the U.S. and China its the biggest buyers.

Prelims Question

Shaphari is a certification scheme related to:
(a)Mining
(b)Fisheries
(c)Electronics manufacturing
(d)Food Processing 

Answer to the Prelims Question