December 1, 2010

Vietnam's VASEP suggests implementing Trifluralin ban on shrimp

The Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) will suggest the Agricultural Ministry to stop Trifluralin checks on shrimp exported to Japan, by banning the use of Trifluralin.

"The ministry should have banned the use of Trifluralin, instead of putting more pressure on enterprises with the checks," VASEP deputy chairman, Nguyen Huu Dung, said.

VASEP said the costly checks at the exporter level weren't solving the problem as it was the farmers, not the processors, who were using the pesticide that can cause cancer in humans.

After Japan announced that it was checking all shrimp imports from Vietnam after finding batches containing residues of the pesticide, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development began to inspect 100% of all shrimp imports from Vietnam for Trifluralin.

Trifluralin contamination happens in the farming process and exporters cannot control it. Farmers use Trifluralin widely so there is nothing that processors can do about it, Dung said.

The Government should ban the use of it in aquaculture and run an information campaign for farmers and traders so exports are Trifluralin-free, he said.

As Japan wants more inspections on Vietnamese shrimp due to pressure from consumers, there'll be more barriers for enterprises if Trifluralin residues are found again.

Dung also advised enterprises not to sign export contracts with large volumes. "We can negotiate for high export prices given the increasing world demand for seafood," he said.

Visiting Chinese traders, however, who recently bought out shrimp in Ca Mau, Bac Lieu, and Soc Trang provinces, have worsened the shortage for local processors.