Fish export resumes through Akhaura land port

Fish export has resumed through Akhaura land port in Brahmanbaria as the ban imposed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has finally been lifted.

Fish export activities have returned to normal from Monday morning and 50 tonnes of fish were exported to India through 11 trucks till 12pm.

Traders said that the ban was lifted mainly due to the intervention of Manik Saha, chief minister of Tripura, India.

However, they said that at least Tk2 crore losses have been incurred as exports were halted on 1 and 2 February due to the ban.

According to fish exporter sources, 50 to 60 tonnes of frozen fish is exported to Northeast India every day through Akhaura land port. Fish is exported four days a week - Monday to Thursday. Each kilogram of fish is exported at a rate of $2.5.

The export trade of Akhaura land port mainly depends on fish.

However, the country's Food Safety Authority banned the import of fish, meat and poultry food through various ports of India for one month starting 1 February, citing the shortage of equipment and manpower required for quality control.

However, this ban had a negative impact on the fish markets of Tripura as those mostly depend on fish imported from Bangladesh.

In a bid to keep the supply normal, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha intervened to remove the ban.

Akhaura Land Port Fish Exporters Association General Secretary Md Faruk Mia said that the state government of Tripura demanded that the central government withdraws the ban so that there is no shortage of fish in the state. The ban was thus lifted and the export of fish has started again.