Shrimps stumble in EU markets for hazardous antibiotics
Exporters call for improving situation before EU FVO team arrives on October 16
Frozen food exporters call for identifying origin of two hazardous antibiotics that contaminate shrimps and helping the potential sector sustain its growing market.
Nitrofuram metabolites and Choloramphenicol usually contaminate shrimps, the second largest revenue earner after readymade garments (RMG).
Detection of Nitrofuram metabolites and Choloramphenicol prompted re-dispatch of the exported shrimps and caused huge loss to the concerned exporters, they said.
They also urged the authorities concerned to improve skills and process for detecting antibiotics in fishes as well as developing infrastructures around the fish processing plants before the European Union's Food and Veterinary Office (FVO) mission arrives in Dhaka on October 16.
The FVO mission will be inspecting hygienic compliance at every step from farming to processing of shrimps to allow continuation of import to the EU countries, said the sources at Bangladesh Frozen Food Exporters' Association (BFFEA).
The delegation is also likely to examine operation of the liquid chromatography mass patro-photometer (LCMSMS) machine at Department of Fisheries (DoF) laboratory to suggest recognition of the tests and certification made here, they said.
Bangladeshi shrimp had been enjoying an increasing demand in the European and the US markets earning $ 456.98 million in 2006-2007 Financial Year (FY) against $403.82 million in 2005-2006 FY, sources said.
Some poultry feed and chemicals used in hatcheries are believed to have the hazardous anti-biotic when a primary investigation also has revealed presence of anti-biotic in two such feed - Niribili and Diamond, said the sources.
Department of Fisheries (DoF) at a meeting on August 8 in 2006 formed a residue monitoring team headed by Mokammel Hossain, director general (DG) of DoF, to probe contamination of shrimps.
The meeting decided to take measures as per the findings and suggestions of the monitoring team and provide the fisheries officers at district and upazila levels with training for monitoring the shrimp hatcheries, encircles and processing plants.
The exporters said only the feed and chemicals used in the hatcheries of saline water shrimps might not be the sole agent of the antibiotic as its presence was mostly reported in prawns cultivated in fresh water.
They said different poultry feeds and insecticides also might contain the antibiotic that can easily find way to prawn and shrimp encircles through poultry litter or rainwater.
In this regard BFFEA Senior Vice-President Maksudur Rahman said, "Origin of the antibiotic, whatever it might be, should be found out first as its detection in a single fish might bring about re-dispatch or destruction of a whole container."
"As such, all the attention should be focused on finding out the origin of the antibiotic to put an end to contamination of fishes as per the suggestion of the residue monitoring team," he said.
Mokammel said preparation of the investigation report is taking time since some tests had to be done in Singapore due to lack of equipment in the country.
"Two Dhaka University teachers are now carrying out research and helping prepare the report which will be submitted soon," he told The Daily Star over phone on Monday.
Sources said the buyers at the port of import ask the exporters to take back the dispatch within two months if the antibiotic is detected in the shrimps.
After expiry of the given time they destroy the fishes with antibiotic and the exporters are to bear the expenses of destruction, said the sources.
As such, the LCMSMS machine was installed at the cost of Tk 3.5 crore to test fishes before export. The machine went into operation on an experimental basis in June this year that conducted over 15 tests so far.
The exporters, however, said the buyers might not accept the tests until EU FVO or US Food and Drugs Administration (FDA), recognise those. The two bodies allow import of frozen fish to EU countries and US after examining Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) compliance.
They called for enhancing skill and capacity of machineries, technicians and test for authentic reports and proper certification in the country.
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