Frozen fish exports to Russia set to resume this month

Ismail Hossain | Published: March 01, 2014 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2024 06:01:00

Frozen fish export to Russia, suspended for allegedly not maintaining quality up to the market, would resume soon.
The government has initiated moves to clear the way for resumption of shrimp and other frozen fishes exports to Russia, Fisheries and Livestock Minister Mohammad Sayedul Haque told the FE on Thursday.
Ministry sources said, the exports would start again in March hopefully following a meeting, in presence of Russian Ambassador to Bangladesh A Nikolaev and Bangladesh Ambassador to Russia Saiful Hoque at the ministry.
Though the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance of the Russian Federation (Rosselkho-znadzor) had withdrawn the temporary ban from February 6, 2014 for one exporting company, restriction still remains for other companies," according to the Fish Inspection and Quality Control (FIQC) Principal Scientific Officer (PSO).
Bangladesh Frozen Foods Exporters Association (BFFEA) President Md Amin Ullah said they have been trying hard to resume the export.
"Seven per cent of the country's total frozen foods export goes to Russia annually," he said on Friday.
He said: "The Department of Fisheries is taking measures to resume export of frozen foods by three other local companies. We are hopeful that the market will be opened to the three companies soon."
Bangladesh exported frozen foods worth $ 418.74 million from July to January of fiscal year (FY) 2013-14 compared to $ 332.46 million of the same period of last fiscal, Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) data showed.
The government has set a target of exporting $ 578.77 million worth of frozen foods this fiscal.
After the meeting held at the ministry last week, the Fisheries Department sent a letter to the concerned Russian department to resume the imports from Bangladesh.
Bangladeshi and Russian officials agreed that the Russian officials concerned will visit the Bangladeshi processing plants and give approval after examining whether these maintain the required standard.
The Fisheries and Livestock Minister said after the meeting that Bangladesh is exporting shrimp to different countries, most of which follow the ICMSF (International Commission for Microbiological Standards for Food) standards relating to bacterial load. But Russia does not follow it while importing food.
"As per the ICMSF standards, 1.0 million CFUs (colony forming units) are allowed in 20 gram of fish for human consumption. But Russia allows 0.1 million CFUs in 20 gram according to its own (cold-water region) standard."
Four Bangladeshi companies-Bagerhat Sea Food Ltd, Fresh Foods Ltd, Apex Food Ltd and ARK Sea Food Ltd-got approval from the Department of Federal Service for Phytosanitary Surveillance of the Russian Federation for exporting shrimp in September, 2009.
Bagerhat Sea Food Ltd got the temporary ban in early 2010 and rest of the three restricted last year are Apex Food Ltd in August, ARK Sea Food Ltd in October and Fresh Foods Ltd in November. Shrimp export to Russia was totally stopped in November, 2013.
According to concerned Russian department Rosselkhoznadzor, they got mercury in Bangladeshi fish sample.
According to exporters, Russia offers 10 to 20 cent higher price per kg than what the European Union and the US offer to Bangladesh. It makes 30 per cent advance payment after deals so that the exporters can get relief from bank interest.