Forty-six years after independence Bangladesh has become self-sufficient in fish production. Bangladesh Fisheries and Livestock Minister Narayon Chandra Chanda disclosed this on Sunday at Dhaka.
The minister says increased production has made Bangladesh self-sufficient in meat and fish production.
“Our per capita meat production is currently 121.74g, which surpasses demand. As such, Bangladesh is self-sufficient in its meat production,” the minister said.
Fish production in Bangladesh currently makes up 3.61 percent of the country’s GDP. Agriculture makes up 24.41 percent.
According to a report from the fisheries ministry, the fish production target for 2016-17 was set at 4.05 tonnes. Fish production in 2016-17 was 4.13 million tonnes, a 53 percent increase from fiscal 2008-09.
In 2016, the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation named Bangladesh the fourth largest producer of fish from inland water bodies, and the fifth largest producer of farmed fish, Chanda said.
According to the joint National Food Production Guidelines defined by the Food Ministry and the Health Ministry, an individual should eat about 60 grams of fish and an adult should eat 120 grams of meat per day.