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) The year 2025 marked a pivotal milestone for Vietnam’s seafood industry in its restructuring process toward sustainability, transparency, and higher value creation, amid continued uncertainties in the global economic and trade environment. Prolonged inflation in major economies, the rising trend of trade protectionism, and increasingly stringent requirements related to environmental standards, traceability, and social responsibility have posed significant challenges to seafood production and exports. Nevertheless, overcoming these pressures, Vietnam’s seafood sector has gradually demonstrated its adaptability, maintained growth momentum, and laid an important foundation for the next stage of development.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Amid the increasingly evident impacts of drought and saltwater intrusion, the shrimp-rice production model in Ca Mau province continues to prove itself as a viable direction, contributing to higher farmer incomes, improved soil conditions and the promotion of ecological and sustainable agricultural development.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The management of fishing vessels, monitoring of fishing activities, and handling of violations in the fisheries sector in Lam Dong province have continued to be implemented in a synchronized and stringent manner, contributing to raising awareness of legal compliance among fishermen and aiming to end illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Can Tho’s fishery industry sustained steady growth in 2025 with total aquatic and marine output reaching nearly 783,000 tons, fulfilling 100% of the annual target. Aquaculture, capture fisheries and fishing fleet management were further strengthened, aiming for sustainable development in the coming years.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In 2025, Vietnam’s pangasius export turnover reached nearly USD 2.2 billion, up 8% year-on-year. This result indicates that pangasius exports maintained their growth momentum despite significant volatility in the global market environment. In December 2025, pangasius export value reached USD 200 million, up 10% compared to December 2024. This solid performance in the final month of the year reflects increased import demand for consumption and inventory replenishment in key markets.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In 2025, Vietnam’s tuna exports to Spain experienced significant fluctuations. According to Vietnam Customs, during the first 11 months of 2025, export turnover for the first 11 months of the year edged up by 0.3% year-on-year, reaching nearly $15 million.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son has signed Decision No. 16/QD-TTg, dated January 5, 2026, approving the implementation plan for the Vietnam-Israel Free Trade Agreement (VIFTA). Under the plan, in the coming period, ministries, ministerial-level agencies, government-affiliated entities and People’s Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities must institutionalize and execute tasks focused on the dissemination of information regarding VIFTA and the Israeli market; legislative and institutional development, as well as enhancing competitiveness and human resource growth...
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Beyond achieving double-digit growth, Vietnam’s fish cake and surimi exports are showing a notable year-end "inflection point": the EU his accelerating with nearly twofold growth, China & Hong Kong are rising sharply, while the largest market, South Korea, signaled a slowdown in November. According to Vietnam Customs data, export turnover of fish cake and surimi reached $327 million in the first 11 months of 2025, up 22% year-on-year; November 2025 alone accounted for $35 million, marking a 5% increase. This serves as a critical foundation for exporters to reassess market structures and competitive intensity while finalizing order strategies for 2026.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Ca Mau, widely regarded as the nation’s “shrimp capital”, continued its strong performance in 2025 as shrimp output reached nearly 600,000 tons, maintaining its position as Vietnam’s leading shrimp-producing locality.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On December 29, 2025, at the 2025 Pangasius Industry Review Conference held in Can Tho City, the Vietnam Pangasius Association announced that fingerling prices have surged to record levels due to acute supply shortages.
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
Giấy phép hoạt động Trang thông tin điện tử tổng hợp số 138/GP-TTĐT, ngày 01/10/2013 của Bộ Thông tin và Truyền thông
Tel: (+84 24) 3.7715055 – (ext.203); email: kimthu@vasep.com.vn
Trụ sở: Số 7 đường Nguyễn Quý Cảnh, Phường An Phú, Quận 2, Tp.Hồ Chí Minh
Tel: (+84) 28.628.10430 - Fax: (+84) 28.628.10437 - Email: vasephcm@vasep.com.vn
VPĐD: số 10, Nguyễn Công Hoan, Ngọc Khánh, Ba Đình, Hà Nội
Tel: (+84 24) 3.7715055 - Fax: (+84 24) 37715084 - Email: vasephn@vasep.com.vn