Citing growing demand in Bangladesh, the India-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IBCCI) has requested permission from the commerce ministry to import 75,000 tonnes of buffalo meat from India.
IBCCI President Abdul Matlub Ahmad submitted a letter to Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi last month seeking the import authorisation.
The letter says that the commerce and fisheries and livestock ministries have "in principle" agreed to the proposal, pending final approval from the Department of Livestock Services.
The IBCCI claims its delegation visited slaughterhouses in several Indian states and met exporters to ensure compliance with international halal food, hygiene, safety and standards.
According to the chamber, importing frozen halal boneless buffalo meat can help calm the local red meat market.
The IBCCI estimates a selling price of Tk 450-500 per kg, compared to the current Tk 750-800 per kg for local fresh meat. This price reduction, According to the chamber, will benefit low-income and middle-income families.
The IBCCI president also requested the government to remove import duties on meat, egg and potatoes to further reduce prices for these essential items.
A senior official at the commerce ministry confirmed receiving the IBCCI's letter and said they were "working on the topic" and "nothing has been finalised yet".
An earlier letter from the Indian High Commission in Dhaka said that under the Import Policy-2021-24, prior approval for frozen buffalo meat imports is required from the Department of Livestock Services.
Both Indian exporter and Bangladeshi importer associations have expressed concern over the current import restrictions, as highlighted in previous letters by the IBCCI.
These letters also detail Bangladesh's imposition of a 20 per cent supplementary duty and increased assessment value on frozen boneless bovine meat imports from India, which nullified the benefits of the SAFTA trade agreement.
While Bangladesh is self-sufficient in meat production overall, sources say it still imports meat items from 14 countries, with India being the primary source.
Department of Livestock Services (DLS) data shows the country produced over 8.71 million tonnes of meat in FY 2022-23, exceeding the annual demand of nearly 7.6 million tonnes.
However, a BGMEA concept paper indicates a fourfold increase in meat imports between FY 2013-14 and FY 2017-18.
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