The first phase of experimental farming of foreign Vannamei breed
shrimp, which is banned in the country, has been successful. The shrimp has
already been exported to Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the Middle East.
It has been their profit. Nevertheless, the Department of Fisheries has given
approval to two new companies for one year trial farming instead of opening Vannamei
shrimp farming commercially for the farmers. This has angered shrimp farmers
and frozen shrimp exporters.
Shrimp farmers and frozen shrimp exporters say that even
five years ago, the frozen shrimp sector was the second largest export earner
in the country. Exports of this sector have declined due to shortage of raw
materials and adverse weather conditions. The annual export revenue of the
sector has come down from Tk 5,000 crore to Tk 4,000 crore in the last fiscal
year 2020-2021. In this situation it is necessary to give the opportunity to
cultivate Vannamei shrimp. But the Fisheries Department is not giving
permission for 'unknown reasons'.
In this regard, Director General (DG) of the Fisheries
Department Khandaker Mahbubul Haque told, "It is not yet time to open up
shrimp farming commercially. Diseases are more prevalent in foreign Vannamei shrimp.
As if this shrimp will not be allowed to be cultivated. This can damage our own
shrimp lobster. Those interested in cultivating it are asked to apply. Eleven
organizations have already applied. Two organizations have received approval.
The Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock has approved the
cultivation of Vannamei shrimp in Bangladesh in a semi-intensive manner from
March 31 last year.
When asked, Shyamal Das, Managing Director (MD) of MUC
Foods, said, "The first experimental farming of Vannamei shrimp has been
successful. Based on this success, I urge you to open up commercial farming".
An inter-ministerial meeting was held on December 9 to
decide on urgent steps to increase the commercial production and export of Vannamei
shrimp. The working paper of the meeting, chaired by Commerce Secretary Tapan
Kanti Ghosh, said that high yielding Vannamei shrimp in semi-intensive system
where production is about 10 metric tons per hectare, Bagda shrimp is only two
metric tons. For this reason, Vannamei shrimp has gained popularity all over
the world.
MA Hasan, managing director of Fahim Sea Foods and president
of the Bangladesh Incentive Shrimp Culture Association (BISCA), said, ‘The
Department of Fisheries has approved the cultivation of Vannamei shrimp. But
did not allow the production of minnow. I am not only interested in shrimp
farming if I am not allowed to produce minnow. Because you have to invest a lot
of money here. The cost will increase if minnow is imported and cultivated from
abroad. It will not produce the desired results, nor will the sector. 'He demanded
concerted action on minnow production, shrimp farming and export.
MA Hasan complained that the Commerce Ministry had given
approval for the production of Vannamei minnow at the hatchery but the
Fisheries Department was not giving it for unknown reasons. In fact, the
officials of the Department of Fisheries do not want Vannamei shrimp farming to
be successful in the country. Because there are no foreign grants and projects
in Vannamei Shrimp like the Galda and Bagda Shrimp project, the officials are
not interested in this.
However, Fisheries Department DG Khandaker Mahbubul Haque
denied the allegations, saying the information was incorrect. The ministry
decided to approve the policy. He added: "At the moment, we will not allow
the production of Vannamei minnow in hatcheries. Because, minnow was produced,
but later no one cultivated Vannamei. What will happen then? We are still
looking into the matter. "
|Source: Online/SZK
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