Anxious to avoid the same fate as China, Vietnam, Thailand and Myanmar, the Indian government is imposing rigorous controls on shrimp processors and exporters.
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Every year, the country shrimp exports generate foreign exchange of Rs. 4,000 crores (US$818m), amounting to two-thirds of the total seafood exports. Fears for the safety of the trade have been raised however as the EU and US impose bans on shrimp imports
The EU banned shrimp imports from China three months ago when inspectors found that several batches contained residues of certain antibiotics used in hatcheries that are harmful to human health. Vietnam, Thailand and Myanmar have meanwhile been placed under red alert, warned that they face a ban if they continue to use certain antibiotics.
According to local newspaper The Hindu, India’s Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA) has received a communication from the EU that three shrimp export consignments were found to contain a banned antibiotic called Nitrofuron.
The government has now banned the companies at the source of the antibiotic scare, and has issued an order specifying the maximum residual limits for antibiotics, as well as the pesticides and heavy metals used by industry players.
