The German Import Promotion Desk (IPD), a government-backed international trade program based in Bonn, has launched a new initiative aimed at connecting Europe with reputable seafood suppliers in countries around the globe.
Under IPD’s new “Sustainable Seafood” program, funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), seafood producers from partner countries will be prepared to meet E.U. import requirements and then presented to European trade representatives to conduct business.
Small- and medium-sized seafood enterprises in South Africa and Peru are the first partners in the program, and they will present their products for the first time at next year’s Seafood Expo Global, taking place in Barcelona, Spain, from 6 to 8 May 2025.
IPD Expert Sourcing and Sustainable Seafood Market Lead Lea Reinhardt, who is heading the project, explained that the idea stemmed from the fact that European producers do not produce enough on their own to meet the bloc’s demand for seafood.
That has created a dependence on imports to meet demand, but consumers are also increasingly paying attention to the sustainability of products, she said.
Thus, the project seeks to put European buyers in contact with carefully selected trading partners, such as the early adopters in South Africa and Peru, who can meet growing European demand for sustainable seafood.
“We are starting with South Africa and Peru, but we are also planning sourcing missions in other IPD partner countries,” Reinhardt told SeafoodSource. “Peru's great advantage is the large variety of seafood. This abundance of fish enables Peru to offer a wide range of products for export. Currently, the [Peruvian] companies in the IPD program only offer products from aquaculture, but we want to expand the range and also include fishery products. We also see great potential in South Africa. The industry is increasingly focusing on sustainable fishing practices and aquaculture – a development that we support with our foreign trade promotion program.”
Regarding the initial products from South African partners, Reinhardt said she’s confident abalone and a few …
