To tide over the crisis that has cropped up over ban on fish imported from Andhra Pradesh, a team from Andhra Pradesh has arrived in Nagaland to assess the situation and revoke the ban on imported fishes.
Nagaland banned imported fish on June 22 after fish samples were found to contain formalin under laboratory tests.
Meanwhile, in a letter to all north-eastern states, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandra Babu Naidu, has termed the allegations as ‘an attempt to defame the state’s brand in fish business and discourage exports from Andhra Pradesh’.
In his letter, Naidu requested support to ascertain genuineness of allegations and urges the states to continue accepting fish supplies from Andhra Pradesh.
Fish traders and suppliers in Andhra Pradesh have also alleged that the local fish traders of the north-eastern states were spreading rumours in order to drastically increase the price of locally sourced fish.
Naidu said the fish traders in Andhra Pradesh have strongly denied the allegations and have requested the state to intervene to restore the good relations between the states.
In order to resume its giant fish export industry, Naidu said the Andhra Pradesh government has assured quality checks at all levels right from farmers, traders, transporters up to the border point of each state.
Andhra fisheries authorities are visiting the north-eastern states from Friday in order to sensitize the state fishery officials about the steps taken by the Andhra Pradesh government to improve the quality of fish exported to other states.