Beach Hatchery turns a profit in Sept quarter
Beach Hatchery Ltd – a publicly listed agro-based firm – has posted a profit in the first quarter of the ongoing fiscal year thanks to a rise in demand for Tilapia, Koi, and Pangas mainly in Teknaf, Cox's Bazar.
In the July to September quarter of FY23, the company's earnings per share (EPS) stood at Tk0.31, against a loss per share of Tk0.05 in the same period of the previous fiscal year.
Company Secretary Md Nur Islam said demand for local varieties of fish increased in the Rohingya-related areas as many non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are working there.
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"Currently, the company is farming fish in 42 out of its 110 ponds. We are gradually trying to make the rest of the ponds arable and cultivate fish in those."
The company has no marketing and distribution charge as the products are consumed mostly near the production areas, and it has been able to sell its products at high prices, he added.
Beach Hatchery mainly produces white fish such as Tilapia, Koi, Pangas, and Pabda through intensive culture methods used in its Teknaf project.
In June 2021, the company resumed production of its new project after five years.
Initially, the company based its business in Teknaf but the government acquired its land to build a marine drive. Therefore, the company had to close business on 24 April 2016.
In 2019, the company took the initiative to diversify its fish farming business using Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS) technology provided by a Norwegian company on a turnkey basis.
Then, it took a lease of 101.19 acres of land at Trishal Upazila of Mymensingh to produce Tilapia, Pangas, Koi, Sarpunti and other fishes. But the project failed.
The company also wanted to diversify its business by installing a nursery unit. The production capacity will be gradually increased, using existing, unutilised structures.
Beach Hatchery started its business in 1997 with an annual production capacity of 600 million fries or young fish.
The firm got listed on the capital market in 2002. It was engaged in producing shrimp fries, which is considered a backward linkage sector of the country's 100% export-oriented shrimp processing industry.
