On behalf of other associations from Krabi, Trang, Pattani and Satun, Surat Thani Shimp Farmer's Club president Aekapote Yohdpinit said that the government should step up negotiations with the country's trading partners, particularly the United States and European Union to resolve trade obstacles.

He called on the government to support negotiations with the US to reduce preliminary anti-dumping rates being charged on Thai shrimp to zero. The rates currently stand at 6.39 per cent.

In addition, he asked the government to urge the EU to import more Thai shrimp. Thailand has experienced a significant drop in exports since 1999. The EU had dropped the 100 per cent tax exemption privileges under Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) previously enjoyed by Thai shrimp exporters.

The volume of shrimp exports to the EU plunged 84.2 per cent to 5,181 tons last year, compared with 32,866 tons in 1995 before the tax privileges were cut.

In the same period, EU import volumes increased 67.5 per cent to 704,603 tons last year, compared with 420,549 tons in 1995.

Source: eFeedLink - 6th September 2004