VN shrimp under Japanese scanner
Japan is planning to stop importing shrimp from Vietnam due to excessively high levels of oxytetracycline, according to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers.
The group said Japan would be turning to India and Indonesia for its requirements.
According to Vasep, the decision was made despite prior warnings and public knowledge that virtually all Vietnamese shrimp exports were being tested for the antibiotic.
Vased had asked the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development’s Fisheries Directorate to strictly control shrimp cultivating areas to prevent such a situation.
Its figures showed that 11 shrimp shipments to the European Union and Japan were returned in the first four months of the year because of high OTC levels.
It said the number of shipments returned by Japan had risen since it started testing for OTC in all Vietnamese shrimp, while India and Indonesia had taken measures to reduce their harvests’ OTC level.
Japanese importers have also guided factories in India to process shrimp.
Two weeks ago, Vasep said the EU discovered OTC levels in some shrimp shipments from Vietnam to be higher than the allowed level of 0.1ppm.
It warned that the EU would consider applying stricter measures on Vietnamese shrimp if Vietnam would not address the issue.
Earlier this year, the association forecast that shrimp exports could reach US$3 billion this year if the issues of breed and presence of chemicals were paid due attention.
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