Processing shrimp for exports (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh has justcalled on the Australian Government to soon lift its ban on prawn and uncooked shelledshrimp imports, saying that it poses negative impacts on Vietnam’s shrimpbreeding and processing sector.
TheVietnamese minister made the call in his recent letter to the Minister ofCommerce and Minister of Agriculture and Natural Resources of Australia.
OnJanuary 7, the Australian Departmentof Agriculture and Natural Resources announced the suspension of prawn and uncookedshelled shrimp imports from Asian nations in fear of white spot diseaseoutbreaks in Australia. The ban took effect on January 9, 2017 and will lastfor six months.
Shrimp shipments which departed the exportingcountry on or after January 9, 2017 will be re-exported or destroyed whenarriving in Australia. Other shipments en route to Australia will face strictexaminations.
Right after the announcement, the Ministry ofIndustry and Trade instructed related bodies and the Vietnam Trade Office inAustralia to update relevant associations and enterprises on the information whileworking with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to look forsuitable solutions.
The Office worked with the Seafood ImportersAssociation of Australia to have common voices in raising concern over theban’s negative impacts on Australian shrimp importers and consumers as well as Vietnameseshrimp farmers and exporters.
The agency also met with representatives fromseveral shrimp exporters to voice their common concern to the AustralianGovernment.
Meanwhile, during his working session withAustralian Ambassador to Vietnam Craig Chittick in Hanoi on February 10, MoITDeputy Minister Tran Quoc Khanh briefed on huge losses caused by the ban to Vietnameseshrimp farmers and exporters, calling the Australian Government to consider,devise alternative measures and soon lift the ban in order not to impact growingtrade relations between the two nations.
MoIT will continue working with relevant bodiesfrom the two nations to ask the Australian Government to remove the ban as soonas possible.-VNA
VNA
