Suriya ready to meet Malaysian counterpart to resolve shrimp and sea bass trade dispute

Agriculture Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit said today that he is ready to meet with his Malaysian counterpart to settle the trade dispute over Thai shrimp exports to Malaysia and sea bass imports to Thailand.

Malaysia has banned the import of five species of shrimp from Thailand as of June 1, citing concerns over food safety, while the Thai Fisheries Department has increased health screening of sea bass imported from Malaysia on the grounds that chemical residues have been found in the fish.

Thai shrimp farmers have cried foul over the shrimp import ban by Malaysia, claiming that it is retaliation against Thailand’s tighter and slower screening process for Malaysian fish. They have sought help from the government.

Suriya said that Thailand is ready to revise the health screening process for Malaysian sea bass by introducing new technology, which would fast-track the process, in the hope that such a move would be mutually beneficial.

The minister also said that he will meet with representatives of the Thai Shrimp Association to listen to their views and recommendations concerning the sustainable development of the Thai shrimp industry.