April 24, 2007

 

Indonesian seafood rejected by Taiwan, prompting more fears
 

 

Taiwan has rejected lobsters shipped by two Indonesian companies, citing food safety issues, prompting more fears that the country's seafood exports would be rejected by more countries.

 

The lobsters, shipped by PT Mitra Sukses and UD Mina Sari Sedana, are suspected of containing higher levels of the antibiotic nitrofuran than allowed.

 

The return of the seafood meant Indonesia's target of 230 tonnes of shrimps annually to Taiwan may not be met.

 

Taiwan had informed Indoneisa to monitor the quality of lobsters imported in March, but had not cited any food safety issues.

 

Indonesian shrimps were also rejected by Japan for high antibiotic levels, causing about US$160,000 in losses for the exporters. A shipment to Belgium last year was also rejected.

 

The series of rejections has cast a gloom over the shrimp export industry in Indonesia. 

 

Indonesia's Department of Fisheries and Marine Affairs said the rejections occurred as quality standards of some major importing countries, like EU and Japan, have been tightened.

 

As other countries such as Taiwan may also by re-exporting their seafood to other countries, they have tightened requirements as well.

 

However, Taiwan, unlike the EU, does not have a joint agreement with Indonesia on quality standardization, hence, it is actually not entitled to ban Indonesian shrimp and should treat each shipment on a case-by-case basis, the country's trade minister said.

 

Besides lobster and shrimp shipments, Indonesia's tuna exports have also been severely affected by the tighter requirements.

 

Indonesian fishery authorities are now worried that the issue would force the developed countries, like the US, to follow in the wake of Japan and the EU. Indonesia has already received warnings from the US on its shrimp quality.

 

Minister of Trade Mari Elka Pangestu said there may be more restrictions to come and the business community should work with the government to overcome such trade barriers.

 

Shrimp is an important export sector for Indonesia and it would lobby the respective governments on the matter, the minister said.