India's loss is Thailand's gain, as Thai shrimp exporters expect a windfall following a ban by Japan on imports from India on account of ethoxyquin antibiotic contamination.
"Shrimp exports from India have been banned because of the use of antibiotics, which Vietnam and China are also doing," Somsak Praneetatyasai, president of the Thai Shrimp Association, told The Nation of Bangkok. Japan has toughened inspections of shrimp from Vietnam and China for ethoxyquin residue levels exceeding
its limits.
High levels of ethoxyquin in shrimp from other countries have caused Japan to order more Thai shrimp. Shrimp farmers in Thailand use more pro-biotic medicine instead of antibiotics. Under Japan's standards, such residue in imported goods should not exceed 0.01 part per million in any shipment.
Thai exporters hope that will reverse a recent decline in Thailand's total shrimp exports, which are expected reach 350,000-360,000 tons this year, 10% off last years
390,000-450,000 tons. Value of exports is also expected to decline from last years 100 billion baht ($3.2 billion) overseas. Two major markets abroad, the United States and Europe, have been hit by economic crises.
Thai shrimp exports to the US have slipped from 50% to 40% of the total. But shipments to Japan have risen to 23%. The increased exports to Japan have offset the loss in the US market. The weakness in exports will not hit Thailand all that badly, since shrimp production is also expected to decline because of climate change, Somsak said.
