12 shrimp consignments released upon European countries

The Fisheries Department has ordered the release of 10 consignments of the fresh water shrimp (galda) worth about Tk 100 million (Tk 10 crore) for export to the European countries after receiving the EU nod.

The shipment will be made through Mongla Port on January 14, official sources said.

Sources further said the export of frozen shrimps remained suspended since June last for detection of health-hazardous antibiotic-nitrofuran in the exported shrimps in January 2009 and the situation had created a severe crisis in the country's shrimp sector.

After lifting of the suspension order by the European Union (EU), four consignments of shrimp had been released on January 10 and six on January 11.

The shrimp exporters submitted their documents to the concerned department for releasing 21 more consignments.

However, freshwater shrimp worth about Tk 3.0 billion would be exported to the EU countries in phases, source added.

They expressed the hope to overcome their losses by exporting frozen food items to the EU markets in future.