A 21-member committee of BAA has already been formed earlier this month to organise the sector according to the demands of the foreign buyers and ensure food safety from the production level to export, reports The Financial Express.
This traceability record, the EU recommended to upgrade, would help enhance the credibility of the shrimp industry and acceptability of local shrimps in overseas markets, says the group.
The alliance formed with a view to developing integrated shrimp and fish farming industry incorporating all the stakeholders including fish and shrimp farmers, hatchery owners, ice plant owners, feed producers and millers, processing plants and exporters.
"We are now waiting for the government's approval and hope the activities of the alliance will start by February," Maqsudur Rahman, vice president of Bangladesh Frozen Food Exporters' Association (BFFEA) told the FE.
This alliance will bring all the stakeholders from production level to export under one roof to ensure traceability, quality of the products and also increase production, he explained.
The production of Bangladesh is only 250 kg per hectare while neighbouring country India produces 950 kg per hectare, he added.
It will be possible to control and solve all the complaints by the European Union (EU) authority after the alliance is activated, Mr Rahman who is the president of BAA, said.
The alliance will not only ensure quality of products but help the farmers to get fair price because the sector will be inter-linked with all the stake-holders, he said.
"The objective of the alliance is to produce marketable fish or shrimp exclusively through the adaptation of an environment-friendly, ecologically sustainable and socially responsible mechanism," Humayun Kabir, director of BFFEA said.
This alliance will help us meet buyers' demand including the EU new rules and regulations as it will bring together all the stakeholders under one roof, he added.
Exporters face problems due to stringent rules imposed by the EU authorities though they are not solely responsible for the crisis, Mr Kabir who is also a director of BAA, said.
Farmers are not aware of using chemicals and the required procedures of the buyers but now the alliance will create awareness among them, he added.
"Forward and backward linkages between the existing component industries of integrated shrimp and fish farming to achieve integration would also be established," the BAA director said.
Bangladesh Launches Aquaculture Alliance
BANGLADESH - Bangladesh Aquaculture Alliance (BAA), a platform of all stakeholders of the shrimp industry, will start (from February) to ensure traceability, quality and increased production of the item, officials said.
