July 13, 2010

New rules trap Bangladeshi shrimp consignments in ports

Hundreds of Bangladeshi shrimp consignments remain stranded in different ports of the world as new European Commission (EC) rules demanding health certificates of the items barred entry to EU states, official sources said.

The Bangladesh Frozen Food Exporters Association (BFFEA) recently sought government assistance to resolve the problem immediately, according to reports.

The EC recently set criteria that it would not allow shrimp and fish containing crystal violet (one kind of dye) more than 0.5 parts per billion (PPB); at present, shrimp consignments are being exported carrying certificate of crystal violet limit 2.0 PPB.

However, Deputy Director of Bangladeshi Fish Inspection and Quality Control (FIQC) Khulna region Mosleh Uddin confirmed that the government has started to issue new types of certificates per requirement of the EC. About 50% of the country's total shrimp export worth US$225 million goes to the EU.

BFFEA vice president Kazi Shahnewaz stated in a letter to the secretary of the ministry of fisheries that shrimp consignments worth US$200 million are being stranded in different ships and ports of the country.

Bangladeshi shrimp exports suffered a big setback last year following the repeated detection of nitrofuran bacteria in several consignments. Exports resumed on June 12 this year after a self-imposed ban of over seven months. In May last year, Bangladesh halted the export of fresh water shrimp (galda) to the EU after 54 consignments were rejected between late 2008 and early 2009 due to an EC 'rapid alert' notice.

Meanwhile, export earnings from the frozen food sector in fiscal year 2007-08 was about US$534.07 million; this shrank to US$454.53 million in 2008-09. Bangladesh lost its shrimp market in Europe to Thailand, India and Vietnam during the ban.

BFFEA president Md Musa Meah said steps are being taken to resolve the problem immediately. He said that new types of certificates, according to the EC requirements, were being prepared to help entrance the consignments to the EU states.