September 9, 2009

Bangladesh's fisheries export increased 1,012 tonnes, fetching BDT7.46 billion (US$106.6 million) in the 2008-09 fiscal year, officials said on Tuesday (Sep 8).

Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock (MFL) officials said the export volume of fish and fish products was gradually increasing for the past five years with growing production of marine fishes and shrimp.

MFL minister Abdul Latif Biswas said that the increased export volume indicated the country's success in fisheries sector.

Experts said the massive campaign and spending for promotion of the country's fisheries sector increased the production of commercial cultivation of fisheries to an extent but over exploitation, water pollution and introduction of alien fisheries drastically reduced the yield of captured fisheries in water bodies and rivers.

Bangladesh had exported 76,311 tonnes of fish, earning BDT41.42 billion in 2008-09 fiscal year while in the previous fiscal year the volume of exports stood at 75,299 tonnes valued at BDT33.96 billion.

US, Britain, France, Hong Kong, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Sudan are major export destinations of Bangladesh's fishery products, including shrimp and other frozen food, while Australia, South Africa and Canada are other prospective importing countries.

US$1 = BDT69.10 (Sep 9)