The country’s frozen food sector is now passing through tough times. Once it did thriving business, fetching the second highest amount of foreign exchange, in the form of export receipts, after the readymade garments (RMG), for Bangladesh. It has now slipped to the fifth position. The sector is afflicted with prolonged slowdown, leading to a sharp fall in its export earnings over the last few years. It is experiencing a severe cash crunch as well, according to a report published in a daily this week. The downturn in shrimp shipments, which account for 90 per cent of the frozen and live fish category’s export earnings, began in the second quarter of last fiscal year (FY). In fiscal 2014-15, 44,278 tonnes of shrimps were shipped, down 7.05 per cent year-on-year. Exporters blame the slide in shipments on the Western customers’ shift towards the cheap vannamei that is reportedly supplied in ample quantities by India, Thailand and Vietnam. The country’s export earning from the sector was down to $535.77 million in FY 2015-16 from the previous fiscal’s $568.03 million. Export losses of shrimp growers and processors continue thus to pile up, in the face of sluggish global demand for black tiger Bagda, produced in Bangladesh. There has also been a drop in the demand for frozen food products. Many shrimp producing countries are now exporting the high-yielding variety, Vannamei shrimp, at much lower rates. As such, the demand for little bit pricier black tiger shrimp from Bangladesh has markedly fallen. Besides, the overall demand for shrimp in the international market has come down due to a devaluation of euro and Russia’s ruble against the US dollar by 22 per cent and 55 per cent respectively. Furthermore, the economic slowdown in Eurozone in FY 2014-15 affected the global frozen food market. While the domestic shrimp production is decreasing, a ban on hilsa export has also deprived the country of export earnings to the tune of Tk 3.0 to 3.5 billion. It is noteworthy that the country’s shrimp cultivation method could not be modernised as yet. It is a traditional one for quite a long time. The yield of indigenous black tiger shrimp is only 300 to 400 kilogram (kg) per hectare. Shrimp cultivation is also being hampered now in the coastal belt as the flow of saline water is being prevented for many reasons. The area of shrimp cultivation is shrinking due to various restrictions that are triggered by environmental concerns. Nearly 100,000 hectares of lands, meant for cultivation of black tiger shrimp, remain unused due to cash crunch. The Department of Fisheries (DoF) has, of late, taken an initiative to raise production of black tiger shrimp by forming a clustre of shrimp cultivators through an ‘improved extensive’ method. The DoF is also encouraging the farmers to cultivate shrimps under a ‘semi-intensive’ method for boosting production. This year, cultivation of black tiger shrimp is taking place on 800 hectares of land under such a method. The government has also taken up a plan to modernise 10 old hatcheries and constructed nine new hatcheries in a bid to boost the production of post-larvae of prawn. Exporters claim they are forced to sell their products at lower prices only to retain the international buyers. Exports to Russia have otherwise dipped to almost zero, while the demand for shrimp has also fallen in Europe significantly. The government has been alleged to have failed to do anything to help revive the frozen food sector, unlike what it has done for the RMG sector. There was no effort to diversify the export destinations for the sector as well. Bangladesh needs to diversify fish production and its export. Eel, a thin snake-like fish — locally known as kuichya — has quite promising export potential like that of the shrimp. The weather, soil and water quality of Bangladesh are favourable for eel cultivation. There is a big demand for this fish in China, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Japan, Indonesia and Korea. Eel cultivation has already begun in the country by some local entrepreneurs. Around 12 tonnes of fish worth Tk 4.8 million can be produced in a pond stretching over an acre of land. Eel, according to relevant sector specialists, has good prospects for both production and export.Meanwhile, entrepreneurs in private sector have started converting low-lying lands into fish ponds and also engaged themselves in highly productive pond aquaculture. The prices of cultured fish such as tilapia, koi, and pangash have significantly declined compared to those of other fishes. The possibility of exporting pangash and tilapia to the Western states can be explored. Pangash fillet can be an attractive delicacy in the menu of the people in those countries. On its part, the government needs to take some effective steps for encouraging fish farmers to adopt modern shrimp cultivation methods and introduce high-yielding Vannamei variety of shrimp. Modern fish feed factories and landing centres for supplying and marketing of shrimp, have also to be set up. In this context, many experts have highlighted the need for introducing farming and zoning system in shrimp cultivation in order to help resusciate the sector.