Shrimp sector seeks support to overcome dual shock

Leaders of the country's shrimp sector have demanded special financial support as well as duty exemption on imported inputs to overcome the setback they suffered due to Covid-19 pandemic and cyclone Amphan.

The shrimp sector slides into a deep crisis due to the two unexpected disasters, they said, adding that the Covid-19 pandemic has had disastrous impact on the sector.

Shrimp Hatchery Association of Bangladesh (SHAB), Bangladesh Shrimp and Fish Foundation (BSFF) and Bangladesh Aqua Products Companies Association (BAPCA) in a joint letter to the Prime Minister's Office put forward the demandson Tuesday.

The three organisations reviewed the situation that emerged out of the pandemic and the cyclone.

During the pandemic related crises, prolonged lockdown, restricted movement and enforcedsocial distancing have resulted in dislocations and severe workforce shortage both in the hatcheries and in the farms, they said in the letter.

This has also resulted in production fall of PLs (Post Larvae) and their actual field level distribution and procurement by farmers.

The loan disbursement from banks has decreased significantly, affecting the hatcheries and shrimp farmers, the letter said, adding that the shrimp sector is critically dependent on imported feed and other inputs, which has also been disrupted.

As a result, the supply of inputs has become uncertain and their prices went up.

"The crisis has immeasurably adversely impacted on the shrimp hatcheries and farms. The losses incurred by both the hatcheries and the farmers have been of serious magnitude and they are finding it difficult to remain financially viable," they said.

The impact of cyclone Amphan in the South Western part of Bangladesh has further aggravated the problems of the shrimp sector, equally affecting the hatcheries and the grow-outs.

During the cyclone Amphan vast expanses of water bodies in the South Western part of Bangladesh were flooded, important infrastructure destroyed, farm establishments dismantled and ghers and ponds prepared for the next production cycle were also badly damaged, they explained.

The shrimp farmers in the affected areas have become seriously unable to freshly prepare their ghers and ponds, procure PLs and other inputs as they have very little financial resources of their own to overcome the problems.

Moreover, 90 per cent of the shrimp farmers, who are small, have no access to institutional finance, especially loans from banks.

They urged the government to allocate a special financial assistance for shrimp farmers for their urgent rehabilitation.

Since the imported inputs play a major role in the shrimp production, an urgent measure is needed to help the shrimp farmers to procure imported inputs at affordable prices.

They demanded duty exemption on imported feed and other necessary inputs used in the sector for next two years.

They have proposed to fix maximum retail prices(MRPs) of imported inputs and forming a monitoring committee headed by the senior upazilla fisheries officer with representatives from the targeted beneficiaries to ensure enforcement of the MRPs.

Their other demands included removal of existing complexities and facilitation of smooth customs clearance of the imported aqua inputs and making coordinated interventions to overcome the adverse impact of cyclone Amphan on the vitally needed infrastructure.