(vasep.com.vn) To meet increasing demand of global consumers for sustainable and environmentally friendly seafood products, fish producers in the world are complying with a wide range of certification standards such as ASC, MSC, GlobalGAP, BAP. However, too many standards are causing confusions for not only fish producers and exporters but also consumers in the international markets. Different certificates lead to hiking production costs and fish prices for fish farmers and producers.
At a meeting in Thailand in December 2013, ASEAN shrimp producers and exporters agreed to establish a set of common standards for their shrimp. At the meeting, representatives from ASEAN members discussed to build standards for their shrimps, which is suitable with ASEAN nations' standards and harmonized with other popular international requirements.
The set of standards will be established in accordance with ASEAN nations' conditions and it hopes to fetch benefits to regional shrimp producers, global shrimp importers and consumers. The ASEAN shrimp standards are not only useful to ASEAN shrimp producers but also to global consumers who can easily buy safe and quality shrimp products from ASEAN.
It is estimated that global farmed shrimp production can touch 3.5 – 4 million MT per year, in which ASEAN producers take a major contribution. Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar are key shrimp producers in ASEAN region with annual output of 300,000 – 600,000 MT for each country.
Thanks to large shrimp production, shrimp production by ASEAN dominates global shrimp supply and consumption demand. In 2013, some ASEAN shrimp industries were hit by EMS which disturbed the global shrimp market and raised shrimp price rapidly.
On February 26, 2014, VASEP in coordination with the Vietnam Fisheries Society held a public meeting discussing about the standards for ASEAN shrimp. The meeting aims to create broader awareness of the ASEAN shrimp standards project and buy in for the process goals and method for development.
