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.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) According to a report by the General Statistics Office, the estimated pangasius output for January 2025 reached 102.5 thousand tons, representing a 6.0% increase compared to the corresponding period of the preceding year. This surge is attributed to the rise in pangasius material prices within the Mekong Delta, which has incentivized aquaculture farmers to expand their stocking activities. Concurrently, this price increase has facilitated processing enterprises to intensify procurement efforts to meet export demands during the early part of the year.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Between 2015 and 2024, Vietnamese pangasius exporting enterprises have undergone notable transformations in rankings and experienced fluctuations in developmental strategies, competitive intensity, and business efficacy. This dynamic is clearly illustrated through shifts in export turnover and the proportional contribution to the national pangasius export volume among the Top 5 enterprises.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The outlook for Vietnam’s seafood exports remains positive, with a strong focus on maintaining growth in key markets like China and the U.S., while diversifying into new regions. As global trade policies continue to evolve, adaptability and strategic planning will be key to navigating the challenges ahead.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Thanks to improved pangasius prices and higher production, Vĩnh Hoàn's after-tax profit in Q4 2024 reached VND 440 billion, a 4.8-fold increase compared to the same period last year.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) According to data from Vietnam’s Customs, in Q4 2024, Vietnam’s pangasius exports to China & Hong Kong reached USD 163 million, a 17% increase compared to the same period in 2023, with consistent growth across all months. The total value of pangasius exports to China & Hong Kong for 2024 reached USD 581 million, a 1% increase over the previous year.
Vietnam’s seafood exports are projected to maintain strong growth this year, potentially reaching 11 billion USD.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the final quarter of 2024, Vietnam’s surimi and fish cake exports showed consistent growth over the last three months. For the entire year 2024, exports of these products reached USD 298 million, down 2% compared to 2023. However, the final quarter saw more promising signs for the surimi and fish cake export sector, with some markets experiencing notable growth, such as Thailand, China, and Taiwan. Particularly, exports to Taiwan, which had seen continuous declines in the previous two quarters, surged by 301% in this quarter.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Another year of pride for Vietnam's pangasius exports has concluded, reaching over USD 2 billion and contributing 20% to Vietnam's total seafood export turnover.
Vietnam maintained its position as the fifth-largest seafood exporter to Singapore for 12 consecutive months, surpassing Japan for the first time in 2024, amid the intensifying competition in this market.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Despite facing numerous challenges in the second half of the year, Vietnam's canned tuna exports concluded 2024 with a 17% increase compared to 2023, reaching USD 299 million. To maintain this growth momentum in 2025, the canned tuna production and export sector requires coordinated efforts from all stakeholders.
VASEP - HIỆP HỘI CHẾ BIẾN VÀ XUẤT KHẨU THỦY SẢN VIỆT NAM
Chịu trách nhiệm: Ông Nguyễn Hoài Nam - Phó Tổng thư ký Hiệp hội
Đơn vị vận hành trang tin điện tử: Trung tâm VASEP.PRO
Trưởng Ban Biên tập: Bà Phùng Thị Kim Thu
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