October 23, 2006

Vietnam's seafood may be banned in Japan amidst increase in exports

Vietnam's cuttlefish may be facing a possible ban from Japan as the product has been found to contain prohibitive substances.

The Ministry of Trade has received a formal notice from the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare warning Vietnamese exporters to stop using dangerous additives, such as the discovery of chloramphenicol in Vietnam's recent cuttlefish shipments, or face a possible lifetime ban on all seafood imports coming from Vietnam.

As of July this year, sixteen violations in Japanese food hygiene have been committed by Vietnamese seafood exporters coming from the provinces of Binh Thuan, HCM City and Kien Giang. 

The threat of a ban comes as Vietnam's seafood exports to Japan is expected to reach US$750 million this year and US$1-1.2 billion by 2010, the Trade Ministry said. 

Frozen shrimps continue to make up the largest portion of exports to Japan, followed by frozen cuttlefish and fish.

The ministry said, however, that exporters should also boost shipments of other products like fresh shrimps and fish; canned shrimps, cuttlefish, and fish and other processed seafood products.

Overall seafood exports were worth some US$2.3 billion in the last nine months.

Japan is Vietnam's largest seafood market, followed by the US, China, the EU, Russia, and other eastern European countries.