The spread of coronavirus across the country seems to have put seafood exporters on the edge, as they fear that the emerging situation could hamper the movement of marine consignments to overseas destinations.

The pandemic following the COVID-19 outbreak, which has affected all sectors of the national economy, has also adversely affected the shrimp sector. The lockdown has affected the workforce in the hatcheries and in the grow-outs, disturbed the production in the hatcheries. So, timely clearance of vitally important inputs needed for the sector at different customs stations, especially at land boarder at Benapole.

Besides, the recent Amphan Cyclone has also flooded a large number of shrimp ghers in the South-Western part of the country and destroyed important infrastructures and farm establishments. Bangladesh Shrimp and Fish Foundation (BSFF) has called upon the government to come forward with further comprehensive assistance packages for the shrimp sector to overcome the present crisis arising out of ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

The leaders of the association made the demand in an emergency meeting of its Executive Board meeting held recently to review the challenges faced by the shrimp sector which makes significant contribution to the country's GDP, employment of a sizable workforce and export earnings.

Syed Mahmudul Huq, BSFF Chairman, Salman Ispahani, Chairman of MM Ispahani Group, Dr Sultan Hafeez Rahman, Development Economist, Practitioner and Academician, Abdul Karim, former Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, Md Ghulam Hussain, former Secretary to the Ministry of Commerce, among others, were present.

The BSFF Executive Board observed that the sector has come under serious damage for two major consecutive setbacks in the last few months. Following the two disasters, the board called upon the government to come forward with further comprehensive assistance packages for the shrimp sector to overcome the present situation.

The concrete measures including expeditious disbursement of concessional agricultural credit for stakeholders, support for procurement of PLs and other necessary inputs, rehabilitation of infrastructure and production facilities damaged by the cyclone Amphan as well as administrative facilitation of clearance of imported inputs at ports of entries and their smooth movement are needed to boost the sector, they said.

They also urged the government to consider appropriate assistance packages for them to help to procure necessary seeds, feed and survive the present critical situation.

The board invited attention of the government that immediate assistance packages would be particularly needed and helpful now that the farmers at the grow-out level are preparing for the next production cycle for the black tiger shrimp which accounts for more than 90 percent of the export of the fisheries products.

 In the absence of timely assistance, the shrimp farmers will not be able to take advantage of the next production cycle and the export from the sector will suffer immeasurably, the board observed.

The BSFF also called upon the government to consider budgetary measures to help the sector through concrete activities incorporated in the proposed budget proposal for the country for the fiscal year 2020-2021.