Australian importers want removal of shrimp ban after disease discovery

Australian seafood importers are calling for a quarantine ban on imported shrimp to be lifted after a shrimp disease the ban was designed to prevent was local in local farms.

Authorities impose the ban on imported shrimps last year citing the need to prevent shrimp diseases from entering Australia.

Harry Peters, chairman of the Seafood Importers Association, highlighted that the IHHNV strain had already been found at two Queensland prawn facilities, adding that the disease may have already been in the country for a long time.

Peters called the ban a complete failure which has cost Australian consumers millions of dollars. He also declared that supplier countries were displeased by Australia's unscientific approach.