File photo of shrimps, Bangladesh's second largest export earner. The European Union may check every frozen shrimp container shipped from Bangladesh to detect harmful germs, a move which will seriously hamper the country's export. Photo: STAR
The European Union is considering checking every frozen shrimp container shipped from Bangladesh in an effort to detect harmful germs, a move which will seriously hamper the country's second largest export earner.
“If the EU tests all containers of Bangladesh, it will take about two months to reach buyers from EU ports. So, the move will ultimately encourage buyers to switch to other countries,” a frozen food exporter said.
The EU plans to discuss the issue of testing every shrimp container from Bangladesh at its meeting on April 2 in its headquarters, sources said.
Currently, the EU checks shrimp containers from Bangladesh on a random basis.
Both the government and exporters said they hope the EU will not impose such a decision since Bangladesh is trying to comply with the EU standards for shrimp export.
“We've bought a testing machine worth Tk 3.5 crore as per the EU suggestions. The machine has been installed and operated by local technicians trained in India,” said a leading shrimp exporter preferring anonymity.
“But the EU is unwilling to accept the test reports conducted by local technicians. Now we've decided to get the technicians trained in the United Kingdom,” he added.
The exporter lamented: “We admit that we lack quality technicians for the work, but I think we need some time as we are trying our best to comply with EU standards.”
According to Bangladesh Bank data, during the first six months of the current fiscal year, the country earned Tk 1,974 crore from export of frozen fish and shrimp.
A member of Bangladesh Frozen Food Exporters Association said the government and exporters are trying to persuade the EU not to include the issue on the agenda of the meeting.
The exporter however blamed the government for its negligence to recruit quality technicians to do the testing.
“We've bought a machine and installed it in the Department of Fisheries Office. But the government fails to recruit efficient technicians,” he said.
When asked on the weakness of the test reports, a scientific officer at the Department of Fisheries, said: “We're conducting the tests as per formats set by the EU.”
The European Union is considering checking every frozen shrimp container shipped from Bangladesh in an effort to detect harmful germs, a move which will seriously hamper the country's second largest export earner.
“If the EU tests all containers of Bangladesh, it will take about two months to reach buyers from EU ports. So, the move will ultimately encourage buyers to switch to other countries,” a frozen food exporter said.
The EU plans to discuss the issue of testing every shrimp container from Bangladesh at its meeting on April 2 in its headquarters, sources said.
Currently, the EU checks shrimp containers from Bangladesh on a random basis.
Both the government and exporters said they hope the EU will not impose such a decision since Bangladesh is trying to comply with the EU standards for shrimp export.
“We've bought a testing machine worth Tk 3.5 crore as per the EU suggestions. The machine has been installed and operated by local technicians trained in India,” said a leading shrimp exporter preferring anonymity.
“But the EU is unwilling to accept the test reports conducted by local technicians. Now we've decided to get the technicians trained in the United Kingdom,” he added.
The exporter lamented: “We admit that we lack quality technicians for the work, but I think we need some time as we are trying our best to comply with EU standards.”
According to Bangladesh Bank data, during the first six months of the current fiscal year, the country earned Tk 1,974 crore from export of frozen fish and shrimp.
A member of Bangladesh Frozen Food Exporters Association said the government and exporters are trying to persuade the EU not to include the issue on the agenda of the meeting.
The exporter however blamed the government for its negligence to recruit quality technicians to do the testing.
“We've bought a machine and installed it in the Department of Fisheries Office. But the government fails to recruit efficient technicians,” he said.
When asked on the weakness of the test reports, a scientific officer at the Department of Fisheries, said: “We're conducting the tests as per formats set by the EU.”