China wants to do random inspection on the exporting firms of Bangladeshi aquatic creatures like live crab and eel with intent to scrutinise compliance requirements, officials said.
To this end, Plant and Animal Quarantine Depa-rtment of the General Administration of China Customs (GACC) has recently conveyed its decision to the Bangladesh embassy in Beijing.
Earlier on September 10, the embassy sent a list of 12 Bangladeshi enterprises to the GACC suggesting that they be registered as edible aquatic animal exporting firms from Bangladesh.
The GACC in a diplomatic note to Bangladesh embassy intends to conduct spot checks on six to eight exporters of aquatic animals via a video ink.
According to the letter, China has designated Qin-gdao Customs to be resp-onsible for this inspection.
The Bangladesh embas-sy has asked fisheries department in Dhaka to take measures in this connection.
Live crab and eel exports resumed in June 2021 by meeting the conditions on quality set by China.
More or less $50-million earnings come from the export of live crabs and eels to the Chinese market, according to fisheries department.
In June 2020, China banned import of live mud crab and eel fish from Bangladesh as health hazardous bacteria was found in some consignments along with forged salubrity certificates, according to a senior official of the department.
The authorities found the presence of contaminated substances (estradiol and cadmium) beyond an acceptable limit for human health, he added.
In a letter earlier, the GACC quarantine department conveyed the decision to the Bangladesh embassy on the temporary ban on the import of goods.
Exports of such products to China started in September 2020.
But the Chinese authorities concerned suspended imports of live mud crab and eel from Bangladesh in October 2020 for the excessive presence of estradiol and cadmium for the second time.
Crab and eel exporters earned an estimated Tk 6.0 billion in last fiscal year. A major portion of export consignments of crab and eel went to the Chinese market, a sector source said.
A source said Bangladesh suffered export losses to the tune of Tk 3.18 billion for suspension of shipments to China.
It is to be noted that China is Bangladesh's largest trade partner with the annual bilateral trade of more than $13 billion.
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