Thai shrimp producers protest against EU
the same exacting standards on food shipments from the European
Union that are imposed on Thai shrimp exports bound for Europe,
according to a report in the Bangkok Post.
Shrimp producers in Thailand have urged the government to impose the same exacting standards on food shipments from the European Union that are imposed on Thai shrimp exports bound for Europe, according to a report in the Bangkok Post.
''We can no longer tolerate the EU and its `zero tolerance' shrimp and poultry inspections. The Thai government should use identical measures against imported EU foods,'' said Dr Surapol Pratuangtum, the president of the Thai Marine Shrimp Farmers' Association.
The association, representing some 12 farmers' clubs, issued the call along with the Thai Marine Shrimp Producers' Association after members had reported their dismay over the double standards enforced by the EU.
The EU implemented its "zero tolerance'' food safety policy in March, after reports emerged from the Netherlands of chemical contamination in Thai shrimp shipments.
The main object of the inspections is to detect residues of chloramphenicol and nitrofurans, two antibiotics used in the production of meat, poultry and seafoods, and banned because of potential harmful effects on humans.
The EU currently sets minimal trace limits for the residues of between 0.1 and 0.3 parts per billion (ppb). However, Thai producers have argued that the standard is almost impossible to achieve in practice, because such small traces of the chemicals are almost impossible to eradicate throughout the food chain.
The EU inspections had jeopardised Thai shrimp exports and misled consumers worldwide to believe that Thai shrimp farming and processing did not meet safety and health standards, Dr Surapol told the Bangkok Post.
''The EU's technical barrier, in fact, intends to obstruct our shrimps and protect EU countries' own interests, as the EU sees Thai shrimps have high export potential,'' he said. ''Several countries in the EU currently have high investments in shrimp and seafood businesses in their former colonies.''
Dr Surapoi argued that as the Thai shrimp industry involved one million people, earned more than Baht 100 billion (€2.33bn) a year using local content of up to 80 per cent, the government should be doing more to protect the industry and contend the EU regulations all the way.
The association has cited a report by Nguyen Thi Hong Minh, Vietnam's vice-minister of fisheries, that several EU food products sold in Asian countries contained chloramphenicol and other harmful substances.
According to the Bangkok Post, China has destroyed two containers of contaminated Dutch sausages and found chloramphenicol residues at a level of 0.544 ppb and 0.303 ppb in infant milk powders under the Protifar and Frisolac-2 brands.
Dr Surapol said that the associations recently sent samples of the two milk brands to China's Food and Drug Administration, which found chloramphenicol residue. He encouraged the Thai government to use a liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry machine and apply the same techniques used by EU to check products such as milk powder, cheese and caviar - items commonly imported from EU nations.
It is estimated that this year's shrimp production will be down by 30 per cent, due mainly to the impact of the EU regulations and the subsequent loss of business.
