Jashore Corespondent:
Dhaka, Sept-13,
In the midst of the most significant economic
slowdown in
decades, the fisheries
sector in coastal district Jashore proved a mainstay for the economy in
the 2020-21 fiscal,
that helped Bangladesh avoid recession or even contraction.
Bangladesh’s GDP growth
fell from 8.2% in the 2019-20 fiscal to just 3.8% in 2020-21 – the
slowest annual growth
in the country’s GDP in 30 years. That represents a slump in economic
activity that would
have been unacceptable in normal times.
But in a year blighted
by the virus where we saw most countries experience contraction in
their economies
(negative growth), Bangladesh’s 3.8% was the fifth-highest GDP growth rate
in the world.
The economic downturn
brought on by the pandemic affected almost every sector in the
country. The impact was
pervasive yet uneven. This was the general picture reflected in most
economies around the
world.
For the record, the
world economy did fall into recession in 2020, with the IMF's final
assessment estimating
it shrank 3.3%.
The fisheries sector
emerged as one of the major pillars holding up the economy and helping
Bangladesh to avoid a
recession. Technically, a country’s economy enters recession once it
experiences two
successive quarters of negative growth, or contraction. To get out of a
recession then requires
two successive quarters of growth back.
Apart from the
recession, Bangladesh also managed to avoid potentially disruptive events
such as a shortage in
food stocks, to which fisheries had a direct contribution.
The sector in Jashore
especially enjoyed a highly productive period recently, with the 2020-
21 output exceeding the
target against which they all worked by over 300%. This allowed for
not only the local
demand in the district to be met - it also left a very decent amount to be
transported and sold in
some of the more lucrative domestic markets such as capital Dhaka,
and even to be exported
abroad.
According to the
district Fisheries Department, in the unit-wise breakdown of targets for the
2020-21 fiscal, the
authorities had set a target of producing 65,589 metric tonnes of fish in the
district. But already
some 224,858 metric tonnes of fish have been produced, which is three
times higher than the
target.
A look at past
production figures reveals that over the last five fiscals, the total output
from
Jashore has ranged from
179,998 MT of fish that was produced in the fiscal year 2014-15, to
the 205,811 MT in the
2015-16 fiscal; 220,643 MT in 2016-17; 221,358 MT in the 2017-18
fiscal; 222,168 MT in
2018-19 and 223,792 MT in 2019-20.
In fact, not only did
production in Jashore smash the authorities’ drastically reduced target, it
evcn grew slightly
(just 0.5%) over the amount produced in FY20 – a quite remarkable
achievement considering
the pandemic was present throughout the year.
Use of modern
technology, ensuring sanctuary for fishes and the entry of a new band of
entrepreneurs hungry
for success, have led the charge from day one.
Of the produced fish,
29,072 MT of fish have been produced in Sadar upazila of Jashore,
38,340 MT in Manirampur
upazila, 33,999 MT in Keshabpur upazila, 31,105 MT in
Jhikargacha upazila,
29,791 MT in Abhaynagar upazila, 25,838 MT in Sharsha, 17,931 MT
in Chougachcha and
8,783 MT in Bagherpara upazila of the district.
Besides, the
authorities concerned have estimated that the production has increased by about
45,000 metric tonnes in the past six years in the
district.
District fisheries
officer Anisur Rahman, said currently just over 72,155 hectares of
waterbody has been
brought under fish cultivation and different varieties of fish including
Rui, Katla, Mrigel,
Bagda, Galda shrimp, Pangas, Sing, Magur and Koi fish are being
Produced in the water
bodies.
The fish of the
district have been supplied to different countries after meeting the demand of
Local people, he said.
Besides, some 9,301.89
metric tonnes of fish have been exported from India and Middle East
Countries and the
government has earned Tk 3,67,70,155 US dollars (approximately Tk 294
crore) from it as
revenue income, he added.
Following the demand of
the exporters, new demands have been created in the market
Including fish
producing, packaging and transporting, said Aminur. As a result, a new
Employment status and
revenue sector has been created which has played an important role in
The economy of the
country, he said.
“Now our main focus is
to draw the attention of Middle East and Europe markets,” he added.
Referring to the steps
taken for increasing fish production in the district, Aminur said “We
have taken so many
plans in phases. We especially focused on the production and marketing
Sectors and inspired
many young men to become involved in fish farming. Besides, a new
Variety of fish was
also introduced during the process that has boosted the producti on.
End/Dct/Corr/Sma/
