Shrimp exporters and experts have emphasiসed on modern cultivation method and supply of virus-free seeds to increase fish production in Bangladesh to meet the export targets as the country witnessed a fall in frozen food exports in the just out fiscal year.
Frozen foods exports recorded 9% drop to $544m in 2012-13 as fish production fell due to disease in prawn. In the previous fiscal, the exports stood at over $598m, Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) data shows.
The EPB set a target of exports worth $700m for the last fiscal year. Of the items, frozen fish earned $60m, which is over 46% less than that of the previous year’s $108m while shrimp bagged $454m. Meanwhile, other items showed over 65% growth to $31m.
“Revenue from exports of frozen foods plunged as production of the country’s fish decreased,” said Shubhashish Bose, vice-chairman of the EPB, adding that reasons behind production fall needed to be addressed.
He stressed the introduction of modern methodology by high productive species otherwise export target could not be attained. However, he said fertility of the country’s fisheries was going down day by day and "we are going to take initiatives to enhance fish productivity."
Diseases, especially virus is a great threat for shrimp aquaculture of Bangladesh, said an expert, adding that to overcome these hazards, the industry of the country must be based on specific pathogen-free and genetically improved shrimp stocks, controlled environment, biosecure management practices and diseases control strategies.
“To enhance production of fish, we have to produce prawn in a virus-free environment and have to cultivate in bio-secure place and controlled environment,” Dr Mahmudul Karim, executive director of Bangladesh Shrimp and Fish Foundation (BSFF), said.
He also said Specific Pathogen-Free (SPF) Litopenaeus Vannamei has the capacity to produce quality and virus-free seeds with faster growth and higher survival rates.
Bangladesh has not introduced this species yet. The BSFF has taken initiatives to import this and agreement already has been signed with a company, he added.
“Export growth fell in the last fiscal as prices of frozen foods including shrimps dropped in international market due to the world economic recession,” said Md Amin Ullah, president of Bangladesh Frozen Food Exporters Association (BFFEA).
Fish production of the country also has declined due to traditional cultivation methodology, which caused negative growth last year, he said, adding shrimp cultivation needs renovation with modern technology.
“We can apply semi-intensive methodology to increase production capacity,” he said.
He urged the government to provide loans to the shrimp farmers at low interest as they have to borrow money at high interest from private sectors.
“Bangladesh Shrimp and Fish Foundation has signed memorandum of understanding with Moana Technologies for introduction of SPF shrimp in Bangladesh,” said Syed Mahmudul Huq, chairman of BSFF.
“We have set a target of producing fish 2,500-5000kgs per hector.”
Most of the shrimp farmers of the country are marginal and the success of the shrimp cultivation is dependant on the supply of quality seeds to the farmers, Jakir Hossain, a shrimp cultivator, said. Farmers need quality seeds at reasonable price for sustainable productivity and profitability, he added.