Seafood News - Industry Events - Seafood Market

The New Nation    30/11/2004 13:34:06

Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia on Sunday assured the shrimp producers of all cooperation from the government and at the same time advised them not to harm or degrade environment during the course of production.

"It should be taken care of that the overall environment, human life and livelihood in shrimp farming areas are not affected," she said while inaugurating the first 'International Conference on Aquaculture Production and Marketing of Shrimp- Finfish' and 'Bangladesh Seafood Expo 2004' at Sonargaon Hotel here.

Though cultivation of brackish water aquaculture is highly profitable and popular, it is causing salinity problem in certain agriculture land, she said adding, "Complaints are also there that the brackish water aquaculture is producing adverse affects on environment."

The Prime Minister advised the shrimp producers and related people to be conscious of the problem and said lessons could be learnt and experienced borrowed from other countries to produce shrimp without harming the environment.

She appreciated the wide popularity of Bangladeshi shrimps in the international market and urged the exporters to maintain the development momentum and carry further ahead with all ethics and devotion.

Begum Zia hoped that the exporters would maintain the highest possible standard of goods and ensure timely delivery to destinations in order to survive in global competition.

"Production and processing of shrimps and other fishery items must strictly adhere to food safety rules and sensitivity of foreign consumers has to be given due importance," she added.

Fisheries is the country's second largest export sector which employees about 13 lakh people directly and indirectly. The two- day seminar and exhibition is being organised by Bangladesh Frozen Foods Exporters Association (BFFEA) in collaboration with the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock and the INFOFISH.

About 100 fishery experts and buyers from 20 countries and representatives from public and private sectors are attending the two-day seminar where 30 key-note papers are being presented.

The seafood exposition has 56 stalls, including 12 erected by foreign companies, where frozen shrimps and fish, fish feed, machinery and technology, and packaging goods are on the display.

Chaired by BFFEA President Quazi Monirul Haq, the inaugural ceremony was also addressed by Finance and Planning Minister M Saifur Rahman, Fisheries and Livestock Minister Abdullah Al Noman, Commerce Minister Altaf Hossain Chowdhury, FBCCI President Abdul Awal Mintoo, INFOFISH Director Dr S Subasinghe and BFFEA Secretary General Mahmudul Hassan.

The Prime Minister formally inaugurated the conference and the exposition by cutting a ribbon and went round various stalls.

Begum Zia said Bangladesh is well-known as an unending source of fisheries and added both its physiologic and climactic conditions are favourable for shrimp farming.

"From time immemorial our rivers are the resources of valuable fisheries. Our coastal waters and estuaries are also rich in various commercial fish species," she said adding that this natural resources have made the national economy vibrant.

In addition to a large amount of export earnings from the fisheries sector, the Prime Minister also referred to the unique taste, nutrient values and quality of fish, and said the demand of fishery products is increasing progressively.

"Because of the increased demand created in the international market and domestic markets, new enthusiasm in fish production is taking place among our farmers in the recent years," she said.

She mentioned the role of the fisheries sector in employment generation and poverty reduction, and said after returning to power this time, her government has taken various development programmes to make this prospective sector more dynamic.

"Initiatives have been taken to make our national fisheries policy more appropriate and time-fitting," she said and hoped that it would make environment more favourable in near future.

Referring to the present world competition, the Prime Minister said new challenges are being added continuously.

"I believe you are not only aware of these, you have also identified and adopted appropriated strategies to keep the progress of the export trade unabated," she added and expressed her satisfaction over preparation of a document named Vision-2008 to produce shrimps in a environment-friendly manner.

Begum Zia said the private entrepreneurs will have to be in the forefront in the national efforts to fully utilise the potentials of this industry.

Fresh water shrimp farming in the country has bright prospects, she said and added that fish production must be increased several times keeping pace with the demand.

The Prime Minister said the country's natural endowments should be optimally utilised. Initiatives in this regard would lead to large-scale employment generation and poverty reduction, she added.

She hoped that the conference on shrimp and finfish production and marketing would make significant contributions to the fisheries export sector.

Ministers, MPs, diplomats, experts, government officials and businessmen, among others, were present at the inaugural ceremony.