Viet Nam Trade Ministry urges Australia to lift ban on shrimp imports

Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh has just called on the Australian Government to soon lift its ban on prawn and uncooked shelled shrimp imports, saying that it poses negative impacts on Vietnam’s shrimp breeding and processing sector

The Vietnamese minister made the call in his recent letter to the Minister of Commerce and Minister of Agriculture and Natural Resources of Australia.

On January 7, the Australian Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources announced the suspension of prawn and uncooked shelled shrimp imports from Asian nations in fear of white spot disease outbreaks in Australia. The ban took effect on January 9, 2017 and will last for six months.

Shrimp shipments which departed the exporting country on or after January 9, 2017 will be re-exported or destroyed when arriving in Australia. Other shipments en route to Australia will face strict examinations.

Right after the announcement, the Ministry of Industry and Trade instructed related bodies and the Vietnam Trade Office in Australia to update relevant associations and enterprises on the information while working with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to look for suitable solutions.

The Office worked with the Seafood Importers Association of Australia to have common voices in raising concern over the ban’s negative impacts on Australian shrimp importers and consumers as well as Vietnamese shrimp farmers and exporters.

The agency also met with representatives from several shrimp exporters to voice their common concern to the Australian Government.

Meanwhile, during his working session with Australian Ambassador to Vietnam Craig Chittick in Hanoi on February 10, MoIT Deputy Minister Tran Quoc Khanh briefed on huge losses caused by the ban to Vietnamese shrimp farmers and exporters, calling the Australian Government to consider, devise alternative measures and soon lift the ban in order not to impact growing trade relations between the two nations.

MoIT will continue working with relevant bodies from the two nations to ask the Australian Government to remove the ban as soon as possible.