(vasep.com.vn) In recent time, IntraFish, an international website on seafood has published some articles about agar injection to shrimp by Vietnam packers to raise its weight. One-sided criticisms in articles may lead to misleading opinions of shrimp quality, production and trade by Vietnam.
In fact, Vietnam shrimps are being favored by many strict markets such as the U.S., Japan and EU which require compliance with their high quality standards.
Vietnam is one of 5 largest shrimp producers in the world with annual raw shrimp production of 350,000 – 400,000 MT. Vietnam's shrimp products are currently exported to more than 90 global markets.
Thanks to favorable natural conditions, Vietnam is the largest black tiger shrimp producer and black tiger shrimp is considered as the key exported species by the country. Besides, whiteleg shrimp farming is fast growing in Vietnam to meet higher demand from global consumers. The species production reported a rapid growth in the past years and expected to reach over 300,000 MT in 2014.
In 2013, thanks to better control in EMS in shrimp farms, Vietnam supplied a significant volume of shrimp to global markets while some others faced heavy losses by diseases.
Last year, Vietnam's shrimp exports to the U.S. reported the highest growth among 5 largest shrimp suppliers to the market. In the year, Vietnam shrimp sales to the market touched 59,534 MT, up 45.6 percent year on year. Also in 2013, Vietnam ranked the first in supplying frozen shrimp to Japan and held the 7thposition in exporting shrimp to EU.
Despite facing a lot of technical barriers, Vietnam shrimp industry still got a foothold in global markets. This was attributable to efforts by Vietnam's shrimp processors and exporters as well as relevant authorities in strengthening quality control.
On January 21st 2014, Japan decided to lift the regulation of 100 percent Ethoxyquin (an anti-oxidant substance used in shrimp feed production) testing on Vietnam's shrimp imported into the market. Japan also raised maximum residue limits (MRL) of Ethoxyquin to 0.2 ppm, 20-fold increase from the previous level of 0.01ppm.
Vietnam's shrimp processors and exporters are intensifying control on residues of chemicals, antibiotics and filthy substances from raw shrimps to process and export. Shrimp products must be inspected for 5 times before being exported.
To remain stable growth in 2014 shrimp exports and keep Vietnam's shrimp prestige in the international market, Vietnam shrimp industry tightens shrimp quality control under production chain from seed to exported products. The control on filthy substances and antibiotics in shrimp is given priority. Competent authorities made strong commitments to impose heavy punishment of shrimp trade violations.