January 20, 2004

Japan To Ban Indonesian Shrimps Raised On Antibiotics

With effect from this year, Indonesian shrimp exports to Japan must be guaranteed antibiotics-free. 

Muhammad Ramli of PT Bosowa Dataran, a shrimp producer, said Indonesian exporters and Japanese buyers have agreed to send back shrimp found contaminated with antibiotics.

So far there has been no Indonesian shrimp rejected by buyers in Japan, Ramli said.

Chloramphenicol was found to have been used by Chinese exporters against virus attacking shrimp exported to Japan.

Japan has been the largest buyer of shrimp from Indonesia, followed by the European Union and the United States.

In the first 11 months of 2003, Indonesia exported 48,596 tons valued at 42.65 billion yens of shrimp to Japan.