Organic shrimp hold promise

THAILAND - The presence of banned chemical residue in Thai shrimp over the past four years has created a major obstacle to expanding exports to major markets such as the European Union, but also has served as a wakeup call to the industry of the necessity for higher standards and accountability all the way back to the farm.

EU authorities have taken a tough line. Shrimp shipments containing nitrofurans and chloramphenicol have been impounded and even destroyed. But the tough lessons also have shown why exports must be traceable from pond to consumer.

In order to preserve the country's $1.7-billion shrimp export revenue, public and private sectors have come up with production methods that rely on Good Agricultural Practice, or GAP. This code of conduct for farmers calls for the safe use of chemical pesticides that conform with Codex, a global food safety regulator.

``The process will start with feeding chemical-free shrimp feed, catching and processing the produce at standard plant certified for HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point),'' according to Anek Pichetpongsa, managing director of STC Feed Co.

STC started raising small numbers of organic shrimp in 2002, and sold only to its subsidiaries, Top Organic Products and Supplies, and Capital Foodtrade Co.

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Source: Bangkok Post

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