Japan mulls ban on Vietnam cuttlefish imports over antibiotic residues

Japan, one of Vietnam’s major seafood markets, is considering a ban on Vietnamese cuttlefish due to antibiotic residues, the trade ministry said Friday.
Japanese authorities had notified the ministry they continued to find Chloramphenicol residues in cuttlefish imported from Vietnam in the past four months despite earlier warnings.
They had named 16 Vietnamese seafood exporters as the offenders.
These included six companies from the central Binh Thuan Province, four from HCM City, and two from the southern Kien Giang Province.
Japanese authorities had decided in July to perform antibiotic tests on all Vietnamese cuttlefish imported into the country.
Despite warnings issued to authorised agencies and seafood exporters/processors to tighten control over seafood quality, the situation had not improved.
Japan also imposed antibiotic tests on 50% of all Vietnamese shrimp imported into the country.
Tests made on four batches on September 18 revealed Chloramphenicol and Nitrofuran residues, the Ministry of Trade said.
The country earned US$47 million from shipments of cuttlefish and octopus to Japan in the first seven months this year.
Japan has for long been one of Vietnam’s major seafood customers, accounting for 26.8% of its fisheries exports, second only to the US.

 

Category: Business