The detection of ethoxyquin, an antioxidant, in the shrimps exported to Japan has badly hit India’s export prospects to that country. Japan had already rejected more than 10 consignments of shrimps exported from India in the recent weeks, causing heavy losses to exporters and shrimp farmers.
High level sources said as the issue is yet to be sorted out, Japan is likely to ban shrimp imports from India. There have been a lot of cancellations from Japan and this has badly affected exporters based in Odisha and West Bengal. It is learnt that the commerce ministry had called for an urgent meeting in Chennai on 27 August and a high level delegation is likely to visit Tokyo soon.
The problem has also caused a drastic reduction in the prices of shrimp in the global market, with these falling 25 to 35 percent in two to three weeks. There is also a fall in export orders from other major import destinations like the Europe and the US.
