December 7, 2009

Bangladesh shrimp export ban removal hits snags

The removal of a self-imposed ban on shrimp exports to EU countries has hit Bangladesh with some difficulty.

Bangladesh government's Department of Fisheries (DoF) last month decided to resume exports of fresh-water shrimps from December 7.

Bangladeshi exporters and the DoF suspended shrimp consignments to the EU for six months from last May after almost 100 shipments over four years were subject to a 'Rapid Alert' notice, which circulates information on food safety problems among European nations.

The alert came for contamination of frozen shrimps by nitrofuran, a toxic antibiotic.

Bangladesh was set to ease the ban after initiatives to eliminate contamination of the toxic element began to take hold.

In a meeting held on November 8, the DoF set the deadline for the ban and informed the matter then to the Commission of European Union in Dhaka.

DoF director general Rafiqul Islam says that the country was all set to start exports of freshwater shrimps to the EU countries on the scheduled date.