Govt to lift ban on hilsa export

The government will lift ban on hilsa export soon, Fisheries and Livestock Minister Narayon Chandra Chanda said yesterday.

He made the comment while responding to reporters at a press briefing at the ministry.

"We want to export hilsa, as its production has increased as well as its demand in the international market," said the minister.

On August 1, 2012, the government imposed ban on hilsa export.

The minister said there was no need to import meat now as the government had a plan to be self-sufficient in meat production. "The price of meat is reducing in the markets and we expect that it will continue."

Narayon said the government would take steps to reduce the price. But it would not be possible to drop price like in the past. "However, we will bring the meat price under control within 1-2 years."

He said the government had taken up a project for increasing meat production.

The minister said the country's fisheries sector contributed to about 3.61 percent in the gross domestic product last year, which was one-fourth of the total agricultural production.

The government set up three Fish Inspection and Quality Control laboratories in Dhaka, Chittagong and Khulna, he added.