Mexico stops Vietnamese shrimp import
(VOV) - Mexico has decided to stop importing shrimps in all forms from China, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam.
The government made the decision following the outbreak of the early mortality syndrome (EMS) in order to protect domestic shrimp farming, the Mexican Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food (Sagarpa) said on April 18.
Sagarpa asked the national food hygiene and safety administration to keep a tight grip on the import of shrimps from other countries free from EMS.
It insisted that the domestic shrimp farming industry is able to meet the local consumer demand without increasing imports from other countries.
Mexico has nearly 1,400 shrimp farms covering a total area of more than 71,000ha. Last year, it harvested nearly 100,000 tonnes, mostly for domestic use.
The North American nation imports nine tonnes of shrimp from China, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam.