Nat'l Shrimp Policy set to get advisers' nod by month-end
Monday, 24 November 2008
Mahmuda Shaolin
The council of advisers is likely to approve the National Shrimp Policy (NSP) by the month-end to boost shrimp production and growth of the country's shrimp industry.
The Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock sent the draft NSP to the council on November 18 for their approval.
"We're expecting that the council of advisers will approve the NSP in the next meeting to be held on November 30," said a senior official of the Department of Fisheries (DoF) on condition of anonymity.
"It would be a milestone for the country and it will open a new window of opportunity for the shrimp farmers and the shrimp industry," the official added.
He also said the main objective of the NSP is to ensure environment-friendly integrated shrimp farming in the country.
Earlier, the DoF prepared the NSP giving a clear guideline on shrimp farming with a view to resolving the misunderstanding between landowners and leaseholders.
The DoF took the initiative to ease the contradictions between landowners and leaseholders involved in the country's 14 southwestern districts, where shrimp farming is very dominant.
"We hope the policy will give the farmers a clear guideline on shrimp and paddy cultivation on their lands," sources said.
According to the DoF, the policy will ensure the shrimp farmers enjoy their legal rights.
The policy will also have a guideline on loans to be provided to shrimp farmers by banks and NGOs on easy terms and conditions.
The draft policy includes a plan for setting up a training centre to create skilled manpower for the shrimp industry and a Shrimp Resource Centre (SRC), the official said.
The policy will also focus on shrimp production and marketing, export, shrimp hatchery and development strategies.
More than 2.0 million people are directly and indirectly involved in the shrimp cultivation on around 1.72 million hectares of land.
Shrimp, the country's 2nd largest foreign currency earner, is exported to the USA, Japan and the UK. Shrimp exports to the countries account for 35 per cent, 22 per cent and 17 per cent respectively, he also informed.
The department has set a target to earn Tk 45 billion (4,500 crore) in the current production year by producing around 70,000 tonnes of shrimp.
The council of advisers is likely to approve the National Shrimp Policy (NSP) by the month-end to boost shrimp production and growth of the country's shrimp industry.
The Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock sent the draft NSP to the council on November 18 for their approval.
"We're expecting that the council of advisers will approve the NSP in the next meeting to be held on November 30," said a senior official of the Department of Fisheries (DoF) on condition of anonymity.
"It would be a milestone for the country and it will open a new window of opportunity for the shrimp farmers and the shrimp industry," the official added.
He also said the main objective of the NSP is to ensure environment-friendly integrated shrimp farming in the country.
Earlier, the DoF prepared the NSP giving a clear guideline on shrimp farming with a view to resolving the misunderstanding between landowners and leaseholders.
The DoF took the initiative to ease the contradictions between landowners and leaseholders involved in the country's 14 southwestern districts, where shrimp farming is very dominant.
"We hope the policy will give the farmers a clear guideline on shrimp and paddy cultivation on their lands," sources said.
According to the DoF, the policy will ensure the shrimp farmers enjoy their legal rights.
The policy will also have a guideline on loans to be provided to shrimp farmers by banks and NGOs on easy terms and conditions.
The draft policy includes a plan for setting up a training centre to create skilled manpower for the shrimp industry and a Shrimp Resource Centre (SRC), the official said.
The policy will also focus on shrimp production and marketing, export, shrimp hatchery and development strategies.
More than 2.0 million people are directly and indirectly involved in the shrimp cultivation on around 1.72 million hectares of land.
Shrimp, the country's 2nd largest foreign currency earner, is exported to the USA, Japan and the UK. Shrimp exports to the countries account for 35 per cent, 22 per cent and 17 per cent respectively, he also informed.
The department has set a target to earn Tk 45 billion (4,500 crore) in the current production year by producing around 70,000 tonnes of shrimp.