�Treat aquaculture as agriculture�

Aquaculture is a part of agriculture but it has always been neglected when compared to the crops sector. The sector must be treated as agriculture for the sector’s development, experts said at a workshop held in the capital yesterday.
They said aquaculture sector in the country needs financing from the government to boost the sector’s growth which will contribute to the country’s overall development.
Production in the sector can be boosted through better and rational management of the water bodies, investment in infrastructure, extension of credit and making available good seed and feed. And the government must give importance to high-valued fish items.
Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF) and Bangladesh Shrimp and Fish Foundation jointly organised the workshop at PKSF auditorium on existing reality and scope for improvements of aquaculture sector in Bangladesh.
A study report on Support to Bangladesh Aquaculture said more than 10 per cent people depends directly or indirectly on fisheries for their livelihood. Fisheries sector accounts for about 8 per cent of the total employment. The major share of the cultured fishes belongs to aquaculture: shrimp, prawn, tilapia and pangash. And the major share of the exports from fisheries sector comes belongs to shrimp and prawn, a special variety of agriculture.
The report, which was unveiled by Prof Dr Bazlul Karim, also said electric bill in agricultural sector is Tk 2.50 per unit while in fisheries sector the price is Tk 9.50 p/unit. No land tax up to 15 bigha in agricultural sector while in the sector of fisheries.
Also crop farmers enjoy crop insurance but fish farmers are deprived of the privilege.  The specialists, taking neighbouring countries as an example, urged the government to provide favourable financial support, invest in infrastructure development, ensure easy access of farmers to formal credit etc.
Hedayetulla Al Mamoon, senior secretary, ministry of commerce said 90 per cent people of the country are poor. So the government’s top priority was cultivating rice. Now the country has achieved sufficiency in rice .It knowshow to meet people’s demand in crop. Now the government is planning for making development in the aquaculture sector.

�Treat aquaculture as agriculture�

Aquaculture is a part of agriculture but it has always been neglected when compared to the crops sector. The sector must be treated as agriculture for the sectors development, experts said at a workshop held in the capital yesterday. They said aquaculture sector in the country needs financing from the government to boost the sectors growth which will contribute to the countrys overall development. Production in the sector can be boosted through better and rational management of the water bodies, investment in infrastructure, extension of credit and making available good seed and feed. And the government must give importance to high-valued fish items. Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF) and Bangladesh Shrimp and Fish Foundation jointly organised the workshop at PKSF auditorium on existing reality and scope for improvements of aquaculture sector in Bangladesh. A study report on Support to Bangladesh Aquaculture said more than 10 per cent people depends directly or indirectly on fisheries for their livelihood. Fisheries sector accounts for about 8 per cent of the total employment. The major share of the cultured fishes belongs to aquaculture: shrimp, prawn, tilapia and pangash. And the major share of the exports from fisheries sector comes belongs to shrimp and prawn, a special variety of agriculture. The report, which was unveiled by Prof Dr Bazlul Karim, also said electric bill in agricultural sector is Tk 2.50 per unit while in fisheries sector the price is Tk 9.50 p/unit. No land tax up to 15 bigha in agricultural sector while in the sector of fisheries. Also crop farmers enjoy crop insurance but fish farmers are deprived of the privilege. The specialists, taking neighbouring countries as an example, urged the government to provide favourable financial support, invest in infrastructure development, ensure easy access of farmers to formal credit etc. Hedayetulla Al Mamoon, senior secretary, ministry of commerce said 90 per cent people of the country are poor. So the governments top priority was cultivating rice. Now the country has achieved sufficiency in rice .It knowshow to meet peoples demand in crop. Now the government is planning for making development in the aquaculture sector.