Article by Mr. K R Hasan, National Project Coordinator, Fisheries Component of BQSP originally published in “The Financial Express” 10 February 2007
The government is intensifying its efforts to strengthen the inspection and quality control service in fisheries sector under a project with the financial support of the European Union (EU). Country's frozen food export and sustain the industry in the competitive international market. The project titled Bangladesh Quality Support Programme (BQSP), fisheries component, involves an expenditure of Tk 385.152 million.
Implementation of the fisheries component of the project started in July 2006. It will be completed by June 2009.
Of the Tk 385.152 million involving the cost of the fisheries component, the Eu will provide TK 265.70 million while government will spend Tk 119.450 million.
The fisheries component is being implemented by the Department of Fisheries (DOF) and the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO).
While talking to the FE, Khandaker Rashidul Hasan, National Project Coordinator of UNIDO of this project, said the activities of fisheries component of the project are progressing satisfactorily.
"The DoF has startd construction of three laboratories in Dhaka, Chittagong and Khulna as a part of this project and will import necessary machinery to ensure quality of the fish products," he said.
Construction of the laboratory in Khulna will be completed by June next, which will be equipped to conduct microbiological and chemical test of the fish products before export.
He said the project has been initiatd to build confidence among the importers through ensuring international quality standard.
"lack of sufficient skilled manpower in our labs is hindering the smooth flow of export," he said. The government will soon import modern machinery and other accessories for Fisheries Inspection and Quality Control (FIQC) laboratories. A group of international consultants will arrive in the country in the last week of this month to provide training to the technicians on operation of modern machinery, Hasan said.
As the second largest export-earning sector, the shrimp industry exports products worth over US$300 million annually and employs 600,000 people.
"The seafood industry of Bangladesh has taken a key position in the economy. It accounts for 2.5 per cent of the global production of shrimps," he said.
The EU and the government jointly initiated the project as the industry suffers from inefficiencies and is exposed to social and environmental risks. The processing plants and the competent authorities are trying their best to comply with most of the EU requirements but still they need further assistance for the development of an integrated quality assurance process covering all stages of the food processing chain from harvesting to final products, Hasan said. "In order to meet international demand the concept of HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) and Traceability system and its strict implementation by the processing plants in all stages of the seafood processing chain from harvesting to final product, the government has taken this project with the financial and technical assistance of European Union (EU),"he said. The major objectives of the project include renovation and modernisation of existing three fish inspection and quality control laboratories to a level of international accreditation standard, to improve the quality and safety of shrimp and fish products through assuring hygienic measure at all stages of handling, transportation, processing and storage.
