Frozen seafood from Bangladesh to the world

Frozen shrimps and other seafood are available in abundance all over the world, from the top global chain store Walmart to smaller retailers. Such frozen food includes fish from Bangladesh supplied by Seamark PLC in the UK. Iqbal Ahmed of Sylhet is the founder of this Seamark Group. It is at his initiative that frozen food from Bangladesh and other countries is being exported to the US, Europe and the rest of the global market. And Seamark's business is steadily expanding.

Iqbal Ahmed entered the world of business in 1976 when he joined his father's business. It was in that year that, along with his brothers Kamal Ahmed and Belal Ahmed, he founded their firm Iqbal Brothers and Company (IBCO). The company began import and export of frozen fish, shrimp and other food from Bangladesh and other countries of the world. They imported frozen fish, both freshwater and from the sea, shrimps and lobsters and sold this in the UK and other countries. They are now among the top businesses in the world in food processing and storage.

In 1991 Iqbal Ahmed established Seamark PLC. The same year he set up a shrimp processing plant and cold storage. He then began importing frozen seafood from various countries. His companies Tiger, Sea Gold, Lily, Me Prawn, IBCO and other firms now export frozen fish and other food products to various countries. Seamark Group's annual turnover is now around 400 million pounds, equivalent to around Tk 46.80 billion (Tk 4680 crore). Business, however, did sustain a blow due to coronavirus and Brexit.

Iqbal Ahmed's name entered the list of UK's top wealthy persons quite some time ago. He received several awards for his contribution to exports. In 1998 he received the Queen's Award. Seamark also received an export award for highest exports of sea fish from Bangladesh in 2001-2003.

It was not easy for Iqbal Ahmed to become a businessman. He said, "Business has been difficult, but I never gave up hope. I would sell products in the restaurants and shops of Oldham and Manchester. I went from door to door. I may have achieved success, but I faced a lot of rejections too."

Iqbal Ahmed's business has spread to other avenues and countries. He has three plants in Chattogram. He is also dedicated to welfare work. He has set up a school and college in his village in Sylhet. The Iqbal Ahmed Foundation also provides relief to the Rohingya camps. He was the founder chairman of NRB Bank and is now one of its directors.

Speaking to Prothom Alo about prospects of shrimp export from Bangladesh, Iqbal Ahmed said, "There has been no growth for the past 10 years. However, with prices going up, earnings have increased. But shrimp export hasn't increased. Vannamei shrimps have been produced for around 20 years. This variety of shrimps is produced by China, Thailand, Vietnam and India and they are leading the export market too. If vennamei shrimps are produced on a completely commercial basis, exports will exceed one billion dollars (100 crore dollar) annually. As Bangladesh has GSP facilities, we can very easily capture the market. Many countries do not have this privilege and will fall behind."

Elaborating about the shrimp market, Iqbal Ahmed went on to say, "Medium sized shrimps have greater demand in the international market. Earlier shrimps were sold in the supermarkets and hypermarkets, but now it's become a common product. When 16 to 20 shrimps weigh 450 grams (1lb), this is considered the international standard. Bangladesh still doesn't follow any scientific process in shrimp cultivation, though the countries that lead in the global market have all started this."

Iqbal Ahmed went on to say, "Bangladesh produces large shrimps. Many people think that the larger the shrimp, the higher the price. But that is no longer so. Shrimps should be produced the size that has demand in the international market. We just produce lobsters, 300 to 400 kg per hectare. That is why we fall back in the competition."

When Iqbal Ahmed was 9 years old in 1965, his father went to the UK and so Iqbal, from a very young age, had to look after the family. Then in 1971 he too went to the UK along with his mother and siblings. He was 15 years old then and they were the only Bangladesh family in Oldham, Manchester at the time.

* This report appeared in the print and online edition of Prothom Alo and was rewritten in English by Ayesha Kabir