Several domestic and international organisations support the project, which will help the development of the shrimp industry. (Photo: Stock File)

Aquaculture Food Safety Centre on the way

BANGLADESH
Tuesday, November 03, 2009, 01:10 (GMT + 9)

An Aquaculture Food Safety Centre (AFSC) will be established to offer training on good aquaculture practices (GAP), it has been decided. GAP management approaches are to be applied throughout the shrimp value chain and focus on International Principles of Responsible Aquaculture to guarantee proper food safety, environmental sustainability, responsible labour standards and other social issues.

The Poverty Reduction by Increasing the Competitiveness of Enterprises (PRICE) project will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on to develop the centre, to be affiliated with the Fisheries Product Business Promotion Council, the Ministry of Commerce’s main private-public aquaculture body.

The Bangladesh Shrimp and Fish Foundation (BSFF), the Joint Institute of Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (JIFSAN), the University of Maryland (UMD), Katalyst and the US Agency for International Development (USAID) officially support the PRICE project.

The project was announced at a workshop on “Environment and GAP” last Thursday that was organised by the Department of Fisheries, the Bangladeshi Government, the Bangladesh Shrimp and Fish Foundation (BSFF), the Bangladesh Frozen Food and Exporters Association (BFFEA), US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and JIFSAN, New Nation reports.

Mashiur Rahman, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Economic Affairs, spoke at the workshop and highlighted the country’s need to hasten its development of all potential water resources for fish and shrimp production. Their practices must be environmentally friendly, socially responsible and they must diligently meet food safety rules, he said.

Rahman lauded the joint efforts by the public and private sectors with the development partners for the development of the shrimp industry. This is the second major source of foreign exchange profits, which yielded about USD 445 million in 2007-8.

Bangladesh holds the potential to double its shrimp exports by 2015, he affirmed. He expressed hope that the centre will significantly contribute to the training of workers who will be capable of helping shrimp products meet food safety requirements.

Related article:

- Shrimp exporters to ease self-imposed ban

By Natalia Real
editorial@fis.com
www.fis.com