Frequent power outages across southwestern Bangladesh are pushing the country’s export-oriented shrimp industry deeper into uncertainty, disrupting production at farms and processing factories as growers and exporters grapple with prolonged electricity shortages.

Shrimp farmers in Khulna, a southwestern division of Bangladesh that grows shrimp mainly for exports, could be facing serious losses this year as the enclosures used for raising their crustaceans are drying up amid an ongoing heatwave.

Shrimps, popularly referred to as “white gold” due to being one of Bangladesh’s most valuable export items, may face significant pressure from competitor nations after the country graduates from Least Developed Country (LDC) status in 2026.