Australia softens ban on shrimp import

The Vietnam Trade Office in Australia reported that the Australian Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources has softened the temporary ban on imports of raw shrimp and related products.

According to the office, an order issued on Monday details that the suspension in force since 9 January, will now exclude dried prawns and shelf-stable prawn-based food products; irradiated bait for aquatic use; pet fish food and aquaculture feed; and uncooked prawns sourced from Australia’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ), Viet Nam News informed.

These exemptions are in line with the intention of the Australian authorities to resume the safe trade of uncooked prawns and shrimp products as they represent a low risk of introducing shrimp diseases into Australia, including that of the white spot.

The temporary suspension of shrimp imports was imposed after an outbreak of white spot disease was detected in December in five aquaculture centres located on the Logan River in south-eastern Queensland as well as live shrimp in the river.

Shrimp farm owners suspected viruses entering Australia from imported products from infected areas abroad, but the cause of the outbreak has not been identified yet.

According to the Vietnam Trade Office, a number of Vietnamese seafood exporters face difficulties as a result of the closure in Australia, especially two companies in the province of Cà Mau, whose names did not reveal, and that would have suffered losses of around USD 1.6-1.8 million.