Australia allows shrimp processed in Vietnam to be re-imported

Australia has lifted its ban on shrimp imports, allowing shrimp originating in Australia to be processed in Vietnam, before re-entering the Australian market.

Australia has accepted applications for the import of uncooked shrimp caught in Australia, which are then exported to Vietnam for processing and re-imported back into Australia, announced the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade (MOIT).

On June 15, the Australian Department of Agriculture and Water Resources issued a notification that it had received a certificate from the Vietnamese authorities - the National Agro-Forestry-Fisheries Quality Assurance Department (NAFIQAD), under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), which states that Vietnam can now meet the new import conditions set forth in the new Australian quarantine certificates.

As of June 15, 2017, the Australian department will accept applications for imports of uncooked shrimp that are naturally caught in Australia, before being exported to Vietnam for processing and then re-imported back to Australia.

The Australian Biosecurity Import Conditions System (BICON) database has been updated with the new requirement from the Australian department of agriculture.

Applications for imports of uncooked shrimp that are naturally caught in Australia, and then processed in countries other than Vietnam, will only be accepted when the competent authorities in those countries ensure that they can meet the new Australian import conditions.

Earlier, on January 7, Australia issued an emergency order to suspend the import of shrimp and uncooked shrimp from Asian countries, including Vietnam, due to fears of an outbreak of white spot disease in Australia.

The six-month ban has resulted in the discontinuation of shrimp exports from Vietnam to Australia. To deal with this situation, MOIT has coordinated with MARD to propose that Australia promptly remove the ban, while at the same time creating favourable conditions and supporting Vietnam’s fresh shrimp exportation to the Australian market.

After the ban on shrimp imports in January, Australia has so far announced five relaxed issues and has eliminated eight shrimp products from its import suspension order. The latest announcement is to allow shrimp originating in Australia to be processed in Vietnam before re-entering the Australian market.