Prospect brightens to boost shrimp exports to Russia
Monira Munni | Sunday, 20 March 2011
Monira Munni
Russian sea processors union has sought cooperation from the country's frozen food exporters to establish a closer business relation with Bangladesh, officials said. Bangladesh embassy in Moscow has recently sent a letter to the director general of Department of Fisheries (DoF) to take necessary action in this connection. The general director of the Union of Sea Processors of Russia in a meeting expressed interest for establishing closer business relation with Bangladesh, the letter said. It added, "This is a unique opportunity for the BFFEA to establish closer ties with the Russian seafood and shrimp importers and thereby gain stronger access to the Russian market." Only four local shrimp firms got Russian authority's approval to export shrimp to their market at the end of 2009, officials said. Last year DoF sent a letter requesting the Russian authority to enlist 25 more local fish and shrimp processing establishments to facilitate export of shrimp and fish products to the Russian market. They said these 25 EU-approved shrimp and fish processing establishments are fully capable of complying with food safety requirements of the Russian Federation. "This will be a great opportunity to grab the Russian market," Md Aminullah, senior vice president of Bangladesh Frozen Food Exporters' Association (BFFEA), told the FE. Mr Aminullah is also the managing director of ARK Sea Food Ltd that got the Russian approval to export fish and shrimp products there. "The Russian market is very important and has been growing rapidly over the last few years. Entry to this market would greatly boost our export," he said. DoF officials said although initially four companies got the Russian veterinary and phyto-sanitary surveillance clearance, most of the country's top frozen food exporters could get entry to the Russian market. The BFFEA senior vice president said this will also boost the country's sales to other Eastern European countries making local exporters more competitive than their Vietnamese counterparts. "Moreover, prices of shrimps are higher in Russia than in other importing countries and Russian importers pay advance which is another benefit for the exporters," an exporter said. The country earned $431.27 million during July-February of the current fiscal year through overseas shipment of frozen food marking a robust 59 per cent growth compared to the corresponding period of last financial year.
Russian sea processors union has sought cooperation from the country's frozen food exporters to establish a closer business relation with Bangladesh, officials said. Bangladesh embassy in Moscow has recently sent a letter to the director general of Department of Fisheries (DoF) to take necessary action in this connection. The general director of the Union of Sea Processors of Russia in a meeting expressed interest for establishing closer business relation with Bangladesh, the letter said. It added, "This is a unique opportunity for the BFFEA to establish closer ties with the Russian seafood and shrimp importers and thereby gain stronger access to the Russian market." Only four local shrimp firms got Russian authority's approval to export shrimp to their market at the end of 2009, officials said. Last year DoF sent a letter requesting the Russian authority to enlist 25 more local fish and shrimp processing establishments to facilitate export of shrimp and fish products to the Russian market. They said these 25 EU-approved shrimp and fish processing establishments are fully capable of complying with food safety requirements of the Russian Federation. "This will be a great opportunity to grab the Russian market," Md Aminullah, senior vice president of Bangladesh Frozen Food Exporters' Association (BFFEA), told the FE. Mr Aminullah is also the managing director of ARK Sea Food Ltd that got the Russian approval to export fish and shrimp products there. "The Russian market is very important and has been growing rapidly over the last few years. Entry to this market would greatly boost our export," he said. DoF officials said although initially four companies got the Russian veterinary and phyto-sanitary surveillance clearance, most of the country's top frozen food exporters could get entry to the Russian market. The BFFEA senior vice president said this will also boost the country's sales to other Eastern European countries making local exporters more competitive than their Vietnamese counterparts. "Moreover, prices of shrimps are higher in Russia than in other importing countries and Russian importers pay advance which is another benefit for the exporters," an exporter said. The country earned $431.27 million during July-February of the current fiscal year through overseas shipment of frozen food marking a robust 59 per cent growth compared to the corresponding period of last financial year.