Barriers to the Export of Farmed Pangasius and Tilapia from Bangladesh to the International Market: Evidence from Primary and Secondary Data

The rapid growth of pangasius and tilapia aquaculture has created export opportunities for Bangladesh; however, this industry is facing multiple barriers to becoming a competitive whitefish exporter in the international market. We analyzed a widely used conceptual framework and reviewed the available literature to unpack the barriers to pangasius and tilapia exports in mainstream global markets. Primary data were collected by interviewing 60 associated stakeholders to consolidate the research objectives. A meta-analysis of the literature and primary data revealed that pangasius and tilapia exporters face various internal (company and product barriers) and external (industry, market, and macroenvironment barriers) barriers. To overcome these barriers, the pangasius and tilapia industries need separate export-oriented policies and legislation to be developed by the competent authority, namely, the Department of Fisheries (DoF), which needs to provide common guidelines to meet international standards of aquaculture practices, food safety, quality, certification, and export markets. The DoF should ensure robust oversight through effective monitoring and surveillance mechanisms to implement the regulations and policies. Drawing insights from China and Vietnam’s experiences in responsible aquaculture practices, navigating export markets, and instituting aquaculture certification could provide invaluable lessons for Bangladesh. Using these lessons to overcome impediments could catalyze the flourishing of Bangladesh’s pangasius and tilapia sectors in the global whitefish market.