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Shrimp sector, fresh strategy should be on cards

Published : Sunday, 29 January, 2023 at 12:00 AM  Count : 566

Shrimp sector that once kindled a ray of hope in our national economy seems to be fading. The dismal picture appeared in a news report, recently back paged in this daily on shrimp export only highlights the lack of proper and coordinated planning of our authority concerned.

In a view exchange meeting with media personals, recently held in capital�s Centre for Integrated Rural Development in Asia and the Pacific (CIRDAP) auditorium, International Food Policy Research Institute-IFPRI in its study report unveiled not only the declining trend of shrimp export since 2013-14, also identified myriad problems that lie at the root of the crisis.  

While the IFPRI links lack of facilities including investment, inadequate land for extending shrimp farms and sub-optimal support of modernized technologies from the authorities concerned as the main barriers of this sector, it stresses on the needs for structural change including deepening ponds and improving water management system.

We believe such a stalemate in country�s shrimp sector hardly meets the high hope our Prime Minister had regarding export oriented fish and fish industries during the national fisheries week last year.

Since our processed fish export is limited to shrimp alone, we must tone up initiatives tuned with hour and international demand to hold out our position in the global market. A minutely study of the report lays bare the importance of bringing about immediate diversification of our local shrimp species.

Although the traditional 'black tiger' or 'Bagda' species of shrimp has long been replaced by the 'vannamei' or king prawn variety, we are still miles behind from reaching this target. We believe, through accurate experimental initiatives by the Fisheries Department, success in �vannamei� shrimp production is not impossible if political goodwill and sincerity of the current government translates into reality. Moreover, reported higher price of our shrimp compared to that of others needs to be reconsidered.  

By gradually shifting to the vannamei, India has more than doubled its shrimp export earnings between 2009 and 2021. China and the Philippines adopted vannamei in '80s, while Vietnam and Myanmar also started commercial vannamei farming over two decades ago.

Innovation of processed fish industries particularly shrimp is opening new economic gateway to many countries. No doubt, developing farmed shrimp industries involves some challenges too. From the economic implications of it, there is little chance to rule out limitations our poor farmers are facing.

We believe, a cost effective and easy access to fish processing including ensuring other necessary equipment can rightly encourage our fishers for farmed shrimps. In this case, providing fishers with loan facilities by Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock can play a significant role.

Finally, Bangladesh�s attempt to get back the lost shrimp market requires fresh strategy in its policy making.







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