BAA awaits govt approval to start functioning

The Bangladesh Aquaculture Alliance (BAA), a platform of all stakeholders of shrimp industry formed in January last, is yet to get government's nod to start functioning due to bureaucratic tangles, officials and exporters said. The aquaculture alliance is one of the foremost requirements of the EU-FVO (Food and Veterinary Office), they added. "If we fail to start its function as early as possible, it may deal a serious blow to our industry as the EU-FVO team will come on March 24," an exporter said. He said the three member delegation will visit fish farms and processing plants here to find out whether their products match the quality required by European consumers. Though action plan of the National Working Committee and Business Promotion Council insisted on the formation of the aquaculture alliance, we are yet to make the body functional due to bureaucratic tangles, he explained. The BAA was expected to start its journey from February before the European Union's team visit to ensure traceability, quality and increased production of the shrimp but it is yet to get government approval, he said. Bangladesh Frozen Food Exporters' Association (BFFEA) issued a letter on March 16 seeking official recognition for the aquaculture alliance to comply with the EU regulations and boost the sector's growth through ensuring traceability, officials said. A 21-member committee of BAA has already been formed early on January to organise the sector according to the demands of the foreign buyers and ensure food safety from the production level to export. This traceability record, the EU recommended to upgrade, would help enhance the credibility of the shrimp industry and acceptability of local shrimps in overseas markets, they said. The alliance formed with a view to developing integrated shrimp and fish farming industry incorporating all the stakeholders including fish and shrimp farmers, hatchery and ice plant owners, feed producers and millers, processing plants and exporters, they added. "We are now waiting for the government's approval and hope the activities of the alliance will start very soon," Maqsudur Rahman, former vice president, BFFEA told the FE. Functioning of the aquaculture alliance is a must for the sector because the EU delegation that visited the country last year emphasized the need for ensuring traceability to comply with the EU around the country, he said. This alliance will bring all the stakeholders from production level to export under one roof to ensure traceability, quality of the products and also increase production, he explained. The production of Bangladesh is only 250 kg per hectare while neighbouring country India produces 950 kg per hectare, he added. It will be possible to control and solve all the complaints by the European Union (EU) authority after the alliance is activated, Mr Rahman who is also the president of BAA, said. The alliance will not only ensure quality of products but help the farmers get fair price because the sector will be inter-linked with all the stake-holders, he said. "The objective of the alliance is to produce marketable fish or shrimp exclusively through the adaptation of an environment-friendly, ecologically sustainable and socially responsible mechanism," Humayun Kabir, director of BFFEA said. This alliance will help us meet buyers' demand including the EU new rules and regulations as it will bring together all the stakeholders under one roof, he added. Exporters face problems due to stringent rules imposed by the EU authorities though they are not solely responsible for the crisis, Mr Kabir who is also a director of BAA, said. Farmers are not aware of the different aspects of chemical use and the required procedures of the buyers but now the alliance will create awareness among them, he added. "Forward and backward linkages between the existing component industries of integrated shrimp and fish farming would also be established," the BAA director said.