Thai Shrimp Exports to Malaysia Likely to Resume Within 30 Days

THAI Agriculture & Cooperatives Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit said after holding talks with Malaysia’s Agriculture and Food Security Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Sabu that the neighbouring country will likely lift its temporary ban on import of five Thai shrimp species within 30 days, Amarin TV said this evening (July 1). Shrimp farmers had urged the government to urgently stabilise prices of their product and expedite negotiations with Malaysia which as of June 1 has banned the import of brown tiger prawn, banana prawn, whiteleg shrimp, giant tiger prawn and blue shrimp. Both sides have agreed to expedite the process of residue and sanitary testing to allow for normal import and export, Suriya said. The two ministers also discussed export of Thai beef and pork products to Malaysia with the neighbouring country agreeing to expedite the process so that Thailand could export these products to Malaysia as soon as possible. “The reason Malaysia banned Thai shrimp is because they are currently implementing new measures to monitor the standards of agricultural imports and exports within Malaysia, and these measures have already come into effect. However, from this discussion, I believe from now on, Thailand will be able to export shrimp to Malaysia as usual,” Suriya said.