Frozen food exports can fetch $1b a year by 2015

FE Team | Published: September 10, 2007 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00

FE Report
Bangladesh can fetch US$ 1.0 billion annually through export of frozen shrimps and fishes by 2015, frozen food exporters said Sunday.
Export earning from the sector was recorded at US$ 526.76 million in fiscal 2006-07, which could easily be doubled by maintaining the food safety directives of the buyers.
The frozen food exporters sought Sunday media support for developing the country's goodwill and boosting export.
They made the plea at a workshop for the economic journalists on significance of compliance with European Union (EU) non-tariff trade rules for shrimp and fish exports.
Bangladesh Shrimp and Fish Foundation (BSFF) organised the programme in the city in association with Bangladesh Frozen Foods Exporters Association (BFFEA) and Department of Fisheries (DoF).
The exporters are now confident about satisfying the EU inspection team that will visit Bangladesh sometime in October next as the country has now improved laboratory and testing facilities.
Secretary of the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock Syed Ataur Rahman, European Commission (EC) charge d' affaires and acting chief of EC delegation to Bangladesh Brian Forey and DoF director general Mokammel Hossain, among others, attended the programme.
BSFF chairman Syed Mahmudul Huq presided over the programme.
"The foundation is trying utmost efforts to address the quality issues of frozen shrimps and fishes from production to processing level," Mahmudul said.
He stressed the need for building awareness at all levels to ensure the quality issues.
The fisheries and livestock secretary said: "International buyers' food safety is a serious matter, and we have to meet all the compliances to sustain in the competitive market."
Brian Forey emphasised the need for public-private cooperation for maintaining the quality and standard of fish products.
"The exporting countries should understand the fundamental principles and philosophy of European Food Law to maintain smooth flow of exports to the EU," he added.
BFFEA president Belayet Hossain requested the EU representative to convey exporters' plea for approval of a project involving euro 0.3 million to the EU headquarters to develop the sector.