Following Brazil’s proposal to export meat, stakeholders are finalizing policies related to the import, storage, and distribution of frozen meat. If approved, this policy will enable the import of frozen meat from Brazil, India, and other countries.
On April 7, Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira met with State Minister for Commerce Ahsanul Islam Titu in Dhaka and offered to sell frozen beef to Bangladesh. Minister Titu confirmed the proposal, stating a preference for live cows before Eid al-Azha.
On May 5, the Bangladesh Safe Food Authority (BSFA) formed a committee to finalize the “Frozen Meat Import, Storage, and Distribution Policy 2023.” Stakeholders believe that this policy will remove obstacles to importing frozen meat.
Currently, beef prices in Bangladesh range from Tk750 to Tk800 per kg. Market interventions have been challenging due to syndicates, but importing meat could help stabilize prices. Farmers, however, oppose this move, fearing it will harm their livelihoods.
The BSFA’s committee includes five officials and has been actively working on the policy. On May 10, a private company imported one ton of frozen buffalo meat from India, but the shipment was held by land port authorities, leading to a high court writ petition. The court then ordered the BSFA to establish a policy, which is now in draft form.
Abu Noor Md Shamsuzzaman, a BFSA member, stated that the policy will regulate the import, storage, and distribution of all frozen meat. The draft policy has been sent to the Ministry of Food for review, and further revisions are underway with expert input before submission to the Law Ministry. Finalization is expected within a few weeks.
