April 24, 2013

Brazil confirms shrimp imports from Argentina

The import of shrimp (Pleoticus muelleri) from Argentina will start this semester as confirmed by Marcelo Crivella, head of Brazil's Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture (MPA).

Crivella justified the measure as a way for the government to help the neighbouring country and clarified that the import of 5,000 tonnes of foreign shrimp will not affect the domestic market.

"It will not impact our market because it is a 100,000-tonne one." The shrimp that is coming from there is from the sea; and the shrimp from Rio Grande do Norte [main producer in the country] is farmed. There is no concern," he said.

Besides, the Minister also made it clear that the decision to allow the Argentinean shrimp to enter the country was taken by the president of Brazil, Dilma Rousseff. Crivella also noted that initially the president had set that the import must not exceed 20,000 tonnes and the final volume was reduced to 5,000 tonnes by the MPA.

"All imports from Argentina will be inspected by the Ministry. If there are risks of disease, they will be interrupted," ensured Crivella.

Furthermore, he stressed that Brazil has a surplus in its balance of exports with Argentina and that as the main country of South America, "it has the role of extending its hands and helping the smaller countries," he continued.

However, the president of the Brazilian Association of Shrimp Breeders (ABCC), Itamar Rocha, argues that the Minister made a mistake when he asserted that the entry of the product to the country would take place in no time. According to Rocha, the working group made up of representatives of the Federal Government and entities related to shrimp production has not been officially established yet.