Fisheries department, USDA team up to boost fish trading

The Department of Fisheries today signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Bangladesh Trade Facilitation Project, funded by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), for boosting fish products and trade.

The agreement will outline a collaborative effort to streamline processes, share trade information about opportunities and requirements for export markets, according to a press release.

It will also enhance the ability to use scientific methods to ensure food safety and manage risk during the importation of goods for this important, export-earning industry, it said.   

Kh Mahbubul Haque, director general of the Department of Fisheries, and Michael J Parr, country director Land O'Lakes Venture37, and project director of Bangladesh Trade Facilitation Project, signed the MoU at the building of the Department of Fisheries in Dhaka.

Parr, representing the USDA programme, expressed his hope that the collective efforts in implementing the MoU activities will expand opportunities for the fisheries industry of Bangladesh and contribute to its continued economic growth.

Haque said the next five years are crucial for Bangladesh as the country is graduating from Least Developed Country (LDC) status in 2026.

The collaboration between the Department of Fisheries and the Bangladesh Trade Facilitation Project will contribute towards enabling Bangladesh to successfully overcome the challenges of graduation, he added.