Bangladesh is now in a comfortable position in fish and meat production, bringing comfort to the government in ensuring food security.
For instance, the country has moved up from third to second place globally in freshwater fish production, according to the Food and Agriculture Organisation’s (FAO) The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2024 report.
Bangladesh produced 1.32 million tonnes (13.22 lakh tonnes) of freshwater fish, accounting for 11.7 percent of global production, it said.
The growth came particularly in the last two years thanks to the expanded production of species such as hilsa, pangas, boal and aair.
Bangladesh also leads 11 countries in hilsa production, thanks to government measures.
In the 2002-03 season, hilsa production slumped to 1.99 lakh tonnes, creating a nationwide crisis of the fish. This prompted the government to take on a project to conserve jatka fish in 2004.
In the 2022-23 season, hilsa production reached 5.71 lakh metric tonnes, which is about 12 percent of Bangladesh’s total fish production.
Globally, the country ranks 8th in Crustacean (crab and shrimp) production, 14th in coastal and marine fish production and fourth in Tilapia production, according to FAO data.
The government aims to produce 65 lakh tonnes of fish by 2030 and 85 lakh tonnes by 2041.
In the 2023-24 season, fish production was 50.2 lakh tonnes.
The daily average fish intake per capita has increased to 67.8 gm, exceeding the daily per capita demand of 60 gm.
Meanwhile, livestock production has also risen by 24 percent in the last decade to 4.53 crore animals, as per data from the Department of Livestock Services.
In the analysis, it was seen that the number of cow, buffalo, sheep and goat maintained a steady growth in the last decade.
The demand for meat was 76.21 lakh metric tonnes while the production was 92.25 lakh metric tonnes.
Yet, Bangladesh has a long way to go in achieving self-sufficiency in milk production.
In 2023-24, the demand for milk was 158.78 lakh metric tonnes, while the country produced 150.44 lakh metric tonnes.
Bangladesh has achieved visible success in agriculture despite being one of the most densely populated countries with limited land, said Mohammad Jahangir Alam, a professor of agribusiness and marketing at Bangladesh Agricultural University.
“Notable achievements include tremendous growth in fish and meat production.”
While Bangladesh was heavily reliant on food imports post-independence in 1971, the dependency has significantly decreased.
“For instance, with a population of about 20 crore, reliance on local chicken varieties would have made poultry unaffordable for many. The country’s success in broiler chicken production has ensured accessibility.”
Alam attributed the progress to farm-friendly policies introduced after 1990.
“Farm-friendly policies have not only boosted fish and broiler chicken production but also created jobs and addressed protein deficiencies,” said Farida Akhter, adviser to the ministry of fisheries and livestock.
At present, fisheries account for 2.43 percent of GDP and livestock 1.80 percent.
Akhter identified institutional and tax-related barriers hindering production since taking her role as an adviser to the government.
“We are working on removing these barriers. If addressed effectively, production can increase further.”
Daily Star
