The new MRL is 0.2 ppm, 20-fold increase from the current level of 0.01ppm. Moreover, Japan decided to lift the regulation of 100 percent Ethoxyquin testing on Vietnam’s shrimp imported into the market.
The new decision is expected to improve shrimp exports to the market in the coming time after two year slowdown, reports VASEP.
On May 18 2012, Japan imposed Ethoxyquin inspection on 30 per cent of Vietnamese shrimp cargoes imported into the market with MRL of 0.01ppm. As a result, Viet Nam’s shrimp exports to the market in July and August 2012 started to edge down.
Later, Japan decided to check Ethoxyquin on all shrimp consignments originated from Viet Nam. Accordingly, Viet Nam’s shrimp sales to the market in the second half of 2012 posted a two-digit reduction.
Viet Nam’s shrimp sales to the market in 2012 reached only $617.7 million, reporting a year-on-year increase of 1.7 per cent. Japan was the largest importer of Vietnamese shrimp with import value of over $600 million for many past years. Ethoxyquin inspection downgraded Japan to the second position behind the US in 2013.
