Revised draft of NSP to be sent to Cabinet soon

The draft of National Shrimp Policy (NSP) 2014 will be sent again to the Cabinet for approval within next 10 days, Joint Secretary (Fisheries) of the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock Anisur Rahman confirmed.

"Earlier we have sent the draft to the Cabinet for its approval but the Cabinet returned it with some observations. We are now working on it. The policy will mainly focus on traceability and the highest caution in quality control of production," Mr Rahman said.   

He said: "This is for the first time the country is going to get a policy for the sake of shrimp sector. We have been working on the draft of national policy for the last six years. To formulate a policy it will take long time, as we have to discuss with all the stakeholders of the sector and have to consider the outcome during formulation of draft policy."

Mr Rahman added: "Frozen food and fisheries products stand in the third position regarding export earning of the country. We mainly export this frozen food to European Union and the USA."

The main objective of the NSP is to ensure environment-friendly integrated shrimp farming in the country and to improve the growth of Bangladesh's shrimp industry.

Bangladesh exported frozen foods worth US$458.30 million during July-February of this fiscal year (FY 2013-14), compared to $368.90 million of the same period of last FY, according to Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) data.

The government has set a target of exporting $578.77 million worth of frozen foods this fiscal.

According to the draft NSP, in every steps of shrimp production HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) rules will be strictly followed and the quality of products will be ensured maintaining the UK's bio-terrorism act, anti-dumping act, EU sanitary regulations, SPS (Sanitary and Phyto Sanitary) of WTO (World Trade Organisation).

According to the local shrimp exporters, they are facing a tough competition from rivals to survive in the global market, as they can not increase their production.

Regarding shrimp production and management, Bangladesh will gradually move to semi-intensive culture from its traditional extensive and improved extensive shrimp culture, according to the draft NSP.

Shrimp insurance will be introduced in the NSP to boost its export and the NSP observes public and private insurance companies should come forward to help the sector.    

Generally, shrimp farmers build 'gher' of shrimps as per their requirements considering soil and water supply situation. Around 500 acres of shrimp gher are situated in Khulna and Satkhira regions.

As per the NSP, the size of gher is likely to be fixed at maximum 30 acres. But the shrimp farmers think fixation of size will hamper shrimp cultivation.

The ministry sources said the size of 'gher' will be fixed considering the socio-economic situation, location and ecological balance.