MARGAO/PANAJI: In the backdrop of speculations of fish trade resuming from Thursday, health minister Vishwajit Rane said, “Wrong information is being spread” and reiterated that import would not be allowed till all requirements laid down by the directorate of food and drugs administration (FDA) were complied. Wholesale fish traders from Margao announced on Wednesday that they expected fish import to restart from Thursday.“There has to be absolute compliance with FDA guidelines. As far as the smaller traders are concerned, we are still working out modalities to help them. Police have been issued strict instructions not to allow any vehicle without transporter’s licence into Goa,” Rane told TOI.Earlier in the day, president, Margao Wholesale Fish Market Association, Ibrahim Maulana told TOI, “Fish is likely to begin arriving in insulated trucks from Thursday,” adding that wholesale fish traders have applied for licences with the FDA and other concerned authorities.“Most of them have obtained permission from the Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI),” Maulana said.When asked if any trader had been granted permission so far, Rane said applications received by the FDA were being examined.Last week, following a meeting with a delegation of smaller fish traders from Karnataka — located within 60-km of Goa border across the state — Rane had said that something would be done to help them, but within the framework of law.“Some big-scale fish traders, in the guise of small-scale traders, want to bring fish into Goa from other states. We will not allow that to happen,” the health minister said, adding that a meeting has been called on December 10, along with chief secretary Dharmendra Sharma and senior police officials, to work our modalities to help small-scale traders.In October, the government stopped vehicles bringing fish into the state without transporter’s licence following a circular by the public health department asking for strict and immediate implementation of licensing and transportation rules for fish traders. Subsequently, in November, the government banned import of fish from other states while exempting traders who had complied with all the food safety rules.

Stay updated with all the Latest Goa headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.