It is unreasonable to require such a low Ethoxyquin content. This is an antioxidant widely used in animal feed, while in most of the countries in the world, the allowed Ethoxyquin content levels are between 75 and 150 ppm.
According to Tran Bich Nga, Deputy Director of Nafiqad, the seafood quality control agency under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), the EU now allows the Ethoxyquin content at 150 ppm at maximum in animal feed, while it does not set the Ethoxyquin content limitations for food in general and seafood in particular.
The US also allows to have the ceiling Ethoxyquin content in animal feed at 150 ppm, while there has been no regulation for seafood products.
Also according to Nga, Japan stipulates that the Ethoxyquin content must not be higher than 150 ppm in the feed for shrimp, and 1 ppm in fish, while it does not set limitations on crustacean and has not defined limitations on shrimp and crab.
Under the Japanese regulations, if no specific residue limitation has been set for one specific type of product, competent agencies would set limitations by default. Here, the default level for shrimp is 0.01 ppm.
The Japanese strict control has put big difficulties for Vietnamese enterprises, which now dare not export shrimp products to Japan because of the high risks.
By mid August, Vietnam had exported 1.3 billion dollars worth of shrimp products, of which 27 percent went to the Japanese market, 21 percent to the US, and 14 percent to the EU. However, the shrimp export turnover to Japan in the first half of August dropped by 22.3 percent in comparison with the same period of the last year, the sharpest decrease so far.
What can be used to replace Ethoxyquin?
Facing the risk of losing the Japanese market, VASEP has asked the Fisheries Directorate to find out solutions to the problem, while suggesting MARD to set up the new ceiling Ethoxyquin content in shrimp feed at 0.5 ppm instead of the current 150 ppm, which would help ease the Ethoxyquin residues in shrimp products.
However, Nga from Nafiqad said if Japan sets the limitation at 100-150 ppm for shrimp feed, it would be unreasonable for Vietnam to set the limitation at such a low level of 0.5 ppm.
“The low content level could be acceptable for food, but impossible for seafood, while it does not come in line with the international practice,” Nga said.
Truong Dinh Hoe, VASEP’s General Secretary, has advised farmers and enterprises not to feed shrimp with the products containing Ethoxyquin. He said that one week or 10 days before the harvesting, farmers should provide other feed products, with no Ethoxyquin.
Bui Duc Quy from the Fisheries Directorate said there are two substances which have the same features as Ethoxyquin, namely BHA (Butylated Hydroxyl Anisole) and BHT (Butylated Hydroxyl Toluence).
Quy said foreign feed manufacturers have affirmed they can be used instead of Ethoxyquin in shrimp hatchery. However, the problem is that they have high prices, which would make the shrimp production costs high. Therefore, no solution has been found so far to the shrimp problem.
(vasep.com.vn) VASEP has officially announced the program for Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS 2026), featuring five in-depth sessions covering industry outlooks, trade barriers, buyer demand, the domestic market, and solutions to improve productivity and reduce costs across the seafood value chain.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached US$3.7 billion in the first nine months of 2026, up 11% year on year. Although growth has been supported by China and several markets within the CPTPP, momentum is slowing as exports to the United States and the European Union decline. Tariff pressures, international competition, and raw material challenges are creating significant hurdles for exporters in the final months of the year.
(vasep.com.vn) Markets are changing faster, buyer requirements are becoming more demanding, and trade barriers are growing increasingly complex. In this environment, seafood businesses need more than an understanding of current market conditions. They need a longer-term perspective to answer a critical question: Where will growth opportunities come from in 2027–2029, and what should businesses do now to prepare? This is one of the key reasons why VASEP is organizing Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first eight months of 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports to the Middle East reached US$113 million, up 7% year on year from the same period in 2025. Growth has become more pronounced in recent months. In August alone, exports to the region totaled US$20 million, an increase of 24%. This indicates that demand for Vietnamese pangasius in the Middle East is gradually recovering after a slowdown in March, although the pace of recovery varies across markets.
(vasep.com.vn) China’s shrimp imports continued to grow strongly in 2026, while Vietnam’s shrimp exports to the market also recorded notable growth. However, behind these positive figures lie two distinct trends: Chinese consumption is growing more slowly than imports, and lobster accounts for a substantial share of Vietnam’s shrimp exports to China, making its product mix significantly different from those of Ecuador and India. Exporters therefore need to assess each segment carefully to understand the opportunities and risks.
(vasep.com.vn) Changing markets, shifting buyer demand, and increasingly complex trade barriers are raising a key question for Vietnam’s seafood industry: Where will the new growth opportunities lie in 2027–2029?
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) As of the end of August 2026, Vietnam’s tilapia exports to the United States reached $21 million, representing a steep 48% year-over-year decline and accounting for 23% of the country's total tilapia export turnover. Frozen fillets accounted for 78% with the remainder consisting of whole frozen tilapia and frozen cuts.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) After a volatile first half of the year, Vietnam’s pangasius exports to Brazil registered robust growth in July and August 2026. In August alone, export turnover reached $19 million, surging 73% compared to the same period in 2025. Cumulatively for the first eight months, total export value reached $124 million, reflecting an 8% year-over-year increase.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Besides modifying their boats, many fishermen in Dak Lak province are making efforts to venture out to sea to harvest seafood during the rough sea season.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) At the Responsible Seafood Summit and TCRS Shrimp Summit 2026, organized by the GSA (Global Seafood Alliance) in Bangkok, Thailand, the conversation about the future of the shrimp industry began with one of its most important foundations: seedstock quality.
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