As a result of the government shutdown, the organization has sent home 45 per cent of its workforce and the agency’s daily activities, especially food safety inspections, are on hold until the budget issue is over,
According to The Christian Science Monitor due to the budget issue, as much as 91 per cent of seafood consumed in the United States (both domestically produced and imported) is not being officially inspected at present. And although many of inspections are still being performed through state and local agencies, reporting any problems encountered at the federal level could be difficult.
Compulsory controls from the Centers for Disease Control groups that monitor illness originating from food are also on hold, but some states are continuing to monitor that as well, reports WWL.
In an official release, a Health and Human Services memo reads: “FDA will be unable to support the majority of its food safety, nutrition, and cosmetics activities. FDA will also have to cease safety activities such as routine establishment inspections, some compliance and enforcement activities, monitoring of imports, notification programs, and the majority of the laboratory research necessary to inform public health decision-making.”
LuAnn White, Ph. D., toxicologist at Tulane School of Public Health, remarked that: “The states pick up a fair amount of food inspection for things like seafood. But it's not like having the full force here [in Louisiana].”
American Seafoods Inc. manager, Wayne Hess, pointed out that despite the fact that federal inspections are on hold, his firm will maintain its standards and that the state’s monthly inspections will carry on as usual.
According to Hess, the produce that will be affected the most will be seafood imports because, due to the lack of federal inspections, that produce will stay docked in refrigerated cargo containers.
Hess went on to add that: “Long term it could have a great effect and we're having a shortage of shrimp right now, so people who are bringing imported shrimp in, I think that's just going to make the situation incredibly worse.”
The state of Louisiana is one of the US leading producers of seafood. The state’s producers explain that inspectors from the FDA normally appear, unannounced, once a year at least.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s exports of shelled mollusks recorded impressive growth in the first two months of 2025, reaching USD 41 million—an increase of 132% compared to the same period in 2024 (USD 18 million).
According to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), in the first two months of 2025, Vietnam's shrimp exports recorded positive signs with strong growth in a number of important markets, of which lobster exports to China increased sharply.
In recent years, the agricultural and environmental sectors and localities in the province have created favorable conditions to develop and effectively maintain seafood chains, increasing income for people in rural areas.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) According to Vietnam Customs, the country’s pangasius exports regained growth momentum in February 2025. Export value reached USD 150 million, marking a 66% increase compared to February 2024. Cumulative pangasius export revenue for the first two months of the year totaled USD 284 million, up 11% year-on-year.
Minh Phu Seafood Corp, one of the leading enterprises in shrimp processing and export, is actively promoting cooperation with shrimp farmers to develop the shrimp industry in Ca Mau.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In 2024, Vietnam’s tuna exports to the Middle East continued their impressive growth, rising by 28% compared to 2023. The Middle East is now emerging as one of Vietnam’s top four tuna export markets.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Recently, the price of Pangasius in the Mekong Delta has increased significantly, making fishermen very excited. However, looking at the overall picture of this industry, the rise in Pangasius prices is not just an opportunity, but also comes with many challenges.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Dishes made from fish, especially pangasius, have become common and are found in nearly all restaurants, hotels, and banquets in Pakistan.
Looking back at the period from 2022 to 2024, crab exports to China have shown significant fluctuations. In 2022, China imported over 62 million USD worth of crabs, averaging 5-9 million USD per month, indicating a stable import demand from China. However, in 2023, exports sharply dropped to 13.3 million USD, averaging only 1-2 million USD per month, due to China's tighter quarantine controls and weakening consumption demand.
In January 2025, Vietnam's shrimp exports to the UK reached over 16 million USD, an 8% increase compared to the same period last year. The UK is the sixth-largest individual market for Vietnam’s shrimp imports, accounting for 5.5% of the total shrimp exports to various markets. Shrimp also holds the largest share (70%) in Vietnam’s total seafood exports to the UK.
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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