Shortage of refrigerator containers disrupts shrimp, fish export
Bangladesh Frozen Foods Exporters Association (BFFEA) today said that the export of processed frozen shrimp and fish is being hampered due to shortage of refrigerated containers in the country's sea ports.
Shaikh Sohel Pervez, secretary of the organisation, said, since last Eid-ul-Fitr, the export of processed frozen shrimp and fish to the country's ports has been hampered due to shortage of the required number of refrigerator containers, especially at Mongla port.
"In this situation, we urge the government to take necessary steps to address the shortage of refrigerator containers at sea ports in order to keep the export of processed frozen shrimp business," he said.
Tariqul Islam Zaheer, managing director of Achia Sea Foods Ltd, said, "After receiving the order and completing all the procedures for export, when we are going to booking on the shipping line, they are telling us that there is the shortage of refrigerated container. Recently I had booked six containers, but I got one container."
He said, "Those of us who do 100 per cent export-based business, this is a bad omen for us. If we break our chain, we will fall face down. However, business is not very good because of pandemic situation.''
"Mother Vessels do not come to Bangladesh. And the containers that are going to Europe and America are not coming back. Again China is exporting Hughes. That's why they are also booking containers. The impact of the global crisis has now fallen on us," Zaheer added.
The organisation has already written to the Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Shipping and the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) to resolve the issue.
According to the BFFEA release, the export of processed frozen shrimp and fish has been one of the largest foreign exchange earning sectors in the country and has made a significant contribution to the socio-economic development of the country over the past few decades.
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