MoU signed for development of aquaculture

The Financial Express, 31 July 2012

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed in the city Monday between the WorldFish Center and Bangladesh Shrimp and Fish Foundation (BSFF) for persuasion of joint activities for the growth of sustainable aquaculture, reports BSS.

Under this MoU, joint promotional activities including holding meetings, dialogues, conferences, research, demonstrations and advocacy initiatives, would be made to develop natural fishes and shrimp seed conservation in Bangladesh.

Detector general of WorldFish Center Dr. Stephen J. Hall and BSFF Chairman Syed Mahmudul Huq signed the MoU on behalf of their respective sides.

Prime Minister’s Economic Adviser Dr. Mashiur Rahman attended the signing ceremony as the chief guest while Principal Secretary Shaikh Md. Wahid-uz-Zaman, Fisheries and Livestock Secretary Ujjwal Bikash Dutta,Director, Economic Growth, USAID, Bangladesh Dr. Ramona EL Hamzaoui, WorldFish Center Deputy Director

General Dr. Patrick Dugan were present as special guests. As per the agreement, supports would be provided for joint activities on making the shrimp and freshwater prawn industry more sustainable with practical emphasis on reducing food safety risks concern of national and international consumers.

Addressing social and environmental issues and increasing the economic and trade benefits from the shrimp and prawn production would be the other highlights of the MoU.

Speaking on the occasion, the distinguished guests said, according to the Bangladesh Fishery Sector Road Map, there is a target of producing 3.54 million tonnes of fish by 2021 as part of the country’s Millennium Development Goal (MDG) and out of which 57 per cent is estimated to come from aquaculture.

In this context, they said the MoU is very important. They said that the current joint venture of the WorldFish Center and the BSFF would make very a positive contribution to develop the sector in a socially acceptable and environmentally sustainable manner and in compliance with the nationally and internationally recommended rules, regulations and practices.

“Bangladesh will have to go a long way to achieve the much desired protein food security, aquatic food safety, new employment generation, poverty reduction and overall economic development of the country,” they observed.

Govt mulls over rice export

Daily Sun, 30 July 2012

Finance Minister AMA Muhith Sunday said the government is planning to export rice to boost the price of the staple food for ensuring fair price to the growers.

The export list includes normal rice along with aromatic variety.

The government took the decision as Bangladesh now turned into a ‘rice-surplus’ country and the prices of rice were on the decline, Muhith told journalists after an inter-ministerial meeting held at his secretariat office.

The finance minister said, “The farmers are deprived of fair price as the market price of rice is lesser than production cost.”

The market price of rice is Tk 25 while the production cost stands at Tk 26.50, he pointed out to justify the government move for rice export.

He said the government is pondering over allowing the export of aromatic rice throughout the year instead of a particular period of the year.

The minister said the government had 1.3 million tonnes of food in stock and was collecting another 500,000 tonnes.

He said a decision on export of both aromatic and normal rice would take around six months and will be finalised by the Food Planning and Monitoring Committee (FPMC).

He assured that the planned export would not affect prices on the local market.

When asked whether price of rice sold under OMS will be reduced, Muhith said there were plans to cut OMS rice price which, he said, would be finalised by the FPMC.

Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury, Commerce Minister GM Quader, Food and Disaster Management Minister Abdur Razzaque, and Health Minister Dr AFM Ruhal Haque, among others, were present at the meeting.