January 13, 2012

In order to avoid its seafood products from being rejected in global markets, Vietnam's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development will stop using Enrofloxacin antibiotic in aquaculture.

The ministry's Fisheries Directorate is preparing documentation for banning of the antibiotic, the newspaper reported.

The authorities from Japan have tightened quality control over Vietnamese aquatic products after it detected high content of the antibiotic from Vietnam-sourced shrimp. Numerous Vietnam-produced imported seafood batches not meeting Japanese hygienic and food safety requirement had been returned to Vietnam.

The US also alarmed Vietnam about seafood invested with Enrofloxacin, and if Vietnam takes no action to prevent contamination, Vietnam-produced seafood will be banned from being exported to the American market.

Vietnamese farmers often use Enrofloxacin to protect aquatic crops from diseases. They failed to keep quarantine period of over 28 days so the antibiotic residue remains at high level in their products.

Vietnam targets to earn US$6.5 billion from seafood exports this year, rising from US$6.11 billion in 2011.