Kamruzzaman Bablu :
The government is set to remove the inoperative fish processing plant’s names from its official list as those remain or don’t export products to the EU from the latter’s approved list amid protests by the exporters, sources said.
According to them, the Department of Fisheries (DoF) has recently identified some 24 units of such non-operative in Khulna, Chittagong and Dhaka regions.
Out of these plants, 14 are in Khulna, nine in Chittagong and one in Dhaka. Only seven out of the 23 plants renewed their licences in 2015 while the rest had not renewed their licences for a long time, according to a DoF letter.
But the majority of them didn’t make any shipments to the EU for more than a couple of years, they added.
“According to the Fish and Fishery Products Official Control Protocol, the authority concerned would formally withdraw an establishment from the official list if the establishment is not operational or not exporting products for more than one year,” said a senior DoF official preferring anonymity.
Some 76 fish processing farms have the EU approval to export to the countries, according to industry people.
Humayun Kabir, managing director of Amam Sea Food Ltd said, “A factory may remain closed or suspend production for a period due to various reasons including shortage of raw materials, banking or management problems.”
The DoF has listed Amam Sea Food in its deduction process.
An exporter can also choose his export destination considering the business opportunity including the prices of products, he said, adding that it necessarily does not result in delisting or remove the name of the factory from the approved list.
Terming the move ‘illogical and unnecessary’ he said, “The factories have received approval by meeting the required safety and other standards.”
The self-delisting might have a negative impact not only on the fish exporting companies but also on the image of the country, he opined.
Another exporter preferring anonymity said, “At present, my factory is closed due to an accident that took place a year back. But I will restart production once I get the insurance claim and fund from the bank.”
According to the DoF letter, his company last renewed licence and shipped fish in 2012.
Exporters alleged that buyers from other countries would take the advantage of such delisting and offer low prices.
The exporters requested the government not to remove the names of their respective units from the list and suggest discussion with the stakeholders before taking such decision.
“It would be costly, time-consuming and cause untold sufferings to get approval once the factories are delisted by the DoF,” said Bangladesh Frozen Foods Exporters Association (BFFEA) senior vice president Md Golam Mostafa.
It would also tarnish the image of the country if the list is sent to the EU, he fears.
The government is set to remove the inoperative fish processing plant’s names from its official list as those remain or don’t export products to the EU from the latter’s approved list amid protests by the exporters, sources said.
According to them, the Department of Fisheries (DoF) has recently identified some 24 units of such non-operative in Khulna, Chittagong and Dhaka regions.
Out of these plants, 14 are in Khulna, nine in Chittagong and one in Dhaka. Only seven out of the 23 plants renewed their licences in 2015 while the rest had not renewed their licences for a long time, according to a DoF letter.
But the majority of them didn’t make any shipments to the EU for more than a couple of years, they added.
“According to the Fish and Fishery Products Official Control Protocol, the authority concerned would formally withdraw an establishment from the official list if the establishment is not operational or not exporting products for more than one year,” said a senior DoF official preferring anonymity.
Some 76 fish processing farms have the EU approval to export to the countries, according to industry people.
Humayun Kabir, managing director of Amam Sea Food Ltd said, “A factory may remain closed or suspend production for a period due to various reasons including shortage of raw materials, banking or management problems.”
The DoF has listed Amam Sea Food in its deduction process.
An exporter can also choose his export destination considering the business opportunity including the prices of products, he said, adding that it necessarily does not result in delisting or remove the name of the factory from the approved list.
Terming the move ‘illogical and unnecessary’ he said, “The factories have received approval by meeting the required safety and other standards.”
The self-delisting might have a negative impact not only on the fish exporting companies but also on the image of the country, he opined.
Another exporter preferring anonymity said, “At present, my factory is closed due to an accident that took place a year back. But I will restart production once I get the insurance claim and fund from the bank.”
According to the DoF letter, his company last renewed licence and shipped fish in 2012.
Exporters alleged that buyers from other countries would take the advantage of such delisting and offer low prices.
The exporters requested the government not to remove the names of their respective units from the list and suggest discussion with the stakeholders before taking such decision.
“It would be costly, time-consuming and cause untold sufferings to get approval once the factories are delisted by the DoF,” said Bangladesh Frozen Foods Exporters Association (BFFEA) senior vice president Md Golam Mostafa.
It would also tarnish the image of the country if the list is sent to the EU, he fears.
