Bangladesh frozen food exporters bagged spot orders worth US$40 million at the recently conducted European Seafood Exposition (ESE) 2010 at Brussels, Belgium.

Ministry of Commerce Deputy Secretary Abu Sayeed Chowdhury said, "We have got US$40-million orders and a good response from foreign buyers at the Brussels fair."

"We have a big opportunity in the international market but have to focus on compliance issues and increase production to recover our losses sustained in the last few years," Chowdhury added.

Salah Uddin Ahmed, former president of Bangladesh Frozen Foods Exporters Association (BFFEA) said, "We received spot orders of around US$60-US$70 million last year. We have got less export orders this year because of flight hazard due to volcanic ashes cloud in Iceland."

He said, "My flight has been cancelled the first time and after that I have managed it some how. We are worried about the attendance of foreign buyers but got huge response. My company, Fish Preserver Ltd, has got spot orders of BDT50 million (US$0.72 million) of shrimp. Though the price has reduced but we are hopeful that foreign buyers will start purchasing more."

Buyers and sellers from 144 countries attended the exhibition while 1,600 companies across the globe exhibited seafood products, fresh, canned, frozen and value-added seafood; storage processing and handling equipment; a host of seafood related services including freight handling, insurance and information technology. The three-day long ESE 2010 ended April 29.