(vasep.com.vn) Ngoc Tri Seafood Company (Ngoc Tri Seafood) has got serious losses in shrimp export to Japanese market because the company had to spend much money and time on Ethoxyquin testing.
The difficulty came after Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare decided to test all shrimp cargos imported from Vietnam for Ethoxyquin residues.
Due to Japan’s new regulation, Ngoc Tri Seafood’s partners refused to import products derived from industrial shrimp, so it had to purchase extensive-cultured shrimp for processing. As the result, shrimp shipments to Japan dropped sharply in this period. Japan represents currently 25 percent of both volume and value of Ngoc Tri’s shrimp export, down 35 percent from the same time in 2011.
The firm also focuses on controlling Ethoxyquin residues in raw shrimp purchased from extensive aquaculture areas, as well as in finished products before export. It is strengthening measures to detect Ethoxyquin residues in raw shrimp before processing. It has now paid VND5 – 10 million per a 20-feet container for Ethoxyquin testing. Moreover, its Japanese importers have to pay more fee and time on quality control when products enter Japan borders.
In the past, shrimp products imported to Japan could enter the country after 10 – 15 days of storage; but they have to wait longer to be accepted now. This resulted in lower competitiveness of the company’s shrimp products and Vietnamese shrimp products in Japanese market.
Between January – October 2012, Ngoc Tri Seafood exported US$25 million of shrimp products.
www.ngoctriseafood.com.vn