Thai seafood to be packaged with ‘Covid-safe’ mark from Dec 26

Department chief Mesak Pakdeekong said the Covid-19 outbreak in Samut Sakhon’s central shrimp market had spread to other areas, sparking public alarm over food safety and threatening livelihoods in the fisheries industry.

In response, two new Covid safety certificates had been issued. The first covers fishing boats, fish markets, transport systems, retailers and modern trade markets, while the second applies to farms, transport and markets. The certification will be marked on product packaging to build confidence among consumers.

“The Fisheries Department will check for Covid-19 at origin – as produce leaves farms or is unloaded from fishing boats. Fisheries workers, farmers and those who receive their produce must all be Covid-free [to be certified]. Certification will start from December 26," said Mesak.

So far, Laos is the only country that has banned Thai seafood exports following the Samut Sakhon outbreak.

The Fisheries Department said it has joined hands with Charoen Pokphand Foods (CPF) to distribute produce such as steamed blue crab, banana shrimp, boiled shrimp, giant freshwater prawn, mantis shrimp, king mackerel, snapper, catfish under the "Thai aquaculture standards to combat Covid-19” campaign.

Wichan Ingsrisawang, the department’s deputy director-general, said more than 60 businesses had applied for the new certification guaranteeing their supply chains were Covid-free, most of them exporters. The Samut Sakhon shrimp market, which also sent produce to Laos, had been unable to offer such a guarantee, he added.

Cash-and-carry operation Siam Makro, a subsidiary of CP Group, is among the businesses who have applied for certification, he said.