Marine Products Export Development Authority

About Marine Products Export Development Authority:

• It is a statutory body entrusted with the primary task of promotion of export of marine products.
• History: It was set up by an act of Parliament during 1972. The erstwhile Marine Products Export Promotion Council established by the Government of India in September, 1961 was converged into MPEDA on 24th August, 1972.
• Functions:
  • Developing and regulating off-shore and deep-sea fishing and undertaking measures for the conservation and management of off-shore and deep-sea fisheries;
  • Registering fishing vessels, processing plants or storage premises for marine products and conveyances used for the transport of marine products; fixing of standards and specifications for marine products for purposes of export;
  • Regulating the export of marine products; registering of exporters of marine products on payment of such fees as may be prescribed;
• It has set up five full-fledged Quality Control Laboratories, at Kochi, Nellore & Bhimavaram, Bhubaneshwar and Porbandar. In addition, fifteen ELISA Screening Laboratories set up by MPEDA in the maritime states.
• In order to reach out to the exporters in different parts of the Country, it has set up 18 – Regional / Sub Regional Divisions / Desk offices.
• Headquarter: Kochi, Kerala
• It has Trade Promotion offices at New Delhi, Tokyo and New York.
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Commerce and Industry

Q1: What is the Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) technique?

It is a technique used to detect antibodies or infectious agents in a sample.Antibodies are made in response to infection and so antibody ELISA testing can indicate whether or not an animal has been in contact with a certain virus. An antigen ELISA can tell whether an animal is infected with a virus by detecting it directly.

Source : India dismisses allegations of abusive conditions at shrimp farms