Malaysia receives Thai food safety standards questionnaire, potentially easing shrimp import ban
Quick Look
- Malaysia received a completed food safety standards questionnaire from Thailand, a key step towards potentially lifting its ban on five species of Thai shrimp imposed on June 1.
- The ban was a response to Thailand's increased inspections of Malaysian sea bass.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Malaysia imposed a ban on five species of Thai shrimp on June 1, a move that followed Thailand's increased inspections of Malaysian sea bass due to concerns over chemical and antibiotic residues.
Tentative signs of a way out emerged on Wednesday when Malaysian officials confirmed that their Thai counterparts had returned a completed food safety standards questionnaire for formal assessment.
Completing the questionnaire was a condition set by Malaysia for lifting the ban on five species of Thai shrimp it imposed on June 1.
“Definitely, there are certain developments after the returning of the answers from Thailand’s side,” Malaysian Deputy Agriculture and Food Security Minister Chan Foong Hin told This Week in Asia.
“Everything is under the process of communicating,” he added.
Malaysian authorities previously justified the import suspension as a reaction to Thailand ramping up inspections and testing of Malaysian sea bass due to concerns over chemical and antibiotic residues.
Open Questions
- When will the ban be officially lifted?
- Will Thailand's sea bass inspections cease?
