EU keen to help shrimp farmers recover cyclone loss

European Union, a major buyer of frozen food, is likely to help shrimp farmers recover their losses caused by the devastating cyclone that washed away hundreds of shrimp farms.
“We'll certainly look into how we can help,” Dr Stefan Frowein, ambassador and EC Delegation head in Dhaka, told the news agency yesterday.
Of the country's US$ 5.5 billion export to EU, five percent comes from frozen food. Some 70 percent of the country's shrimps are supplied from the affected coastal areas of Bagerhat, Barguna,
Morelganj, Mongla, Khulna and Satkhira.
Bangladesh Frozen Food Exporters Association (BFFEA) President Kazi Belayet Hossain has preliminary estimated the loss of shrimps at Tk 3 billion-Tk4 billion.
Replying to a question, Dr Frowein said three officials from the European Commission (EC) have been deployed in the cyclone-hit coastal areas to assess the damages caused by the cyclone including to the shrimp farms.
“As soon as we complete the assessment, we'll consider how we can help the sector,” Dr Frowein said, adding that they would try to find some extra fund under the EC's Trade Development Programme to support the sector.
“I don't know how much the fund could be, but it would be decided once the damage is assessed,” he said replying to another question.
He added that the Bangladesh Ministry of Fisheries has so far does not know the extent of damage to the shrimp farms.
Dr Frowein said they discussed the possible support to the shrimp farmers at the Bangladesh-EC sub-group meeting on Trade Development, Capacity Building and Economic Cooperation held at the Ministry of Commerce here yesterday.