Shrimp is a main aquaculture products for export in Viet Nam. Photo dantri.com.vn

HA NOI (Biz Hub) — The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) has asked Mexico to lift its temporary ban on shrimp imports from Viet Nam, according to a dispatch sent to Mexican Embassy in Ha Noi recently.

The temporary ban on shrimp imports from China, Viet Nam, Malaysia and Thailand was issued by the Mexican Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food on April 18 due to Early Mortality Syndrome (EMS), which affects shrimp, being present in those countries.

The syndrome, which devastates crustacean populations, first appeared in southern China and then spread to Viet Nam, Malaysia and Thailand. In order to prevent the disease from spreading throughout Mexico, shrimp must be certified that they are sourced from regions that are free of the syndrome.

However, a study carried out by the US's University of Arizona Aquaculture Pathology Laboratory recently confirmed that EMS-infected shrimp does not affect humans and frozen and defrosted shrimps are unable to transmit disease to living shrimps.

The MARD said that shrimp that had contracted EMS always died 20 to 30 days after hatching. At this point they were not big enough to process for export, therefore Mexico should lift the ban as soon as possible. — VNS