Thailand
Australia Rules
On February 13, 2007, a group of 50 shrimp farmers, led by Thai Marine Shrimp Farmers' Association president Dr. Surapol Pratuangtum, submitted a letter to a representative of the Australian embassy in Bangkok requesting that the Australian government reconsider its implementation of new import risk analysis procedures that would block shrimp imports from Thailand. Those procedures require certificates that say the Thai shrimp is not carrying any shrimp viruses, viruses that could affect Australia's production of farmed and wild shrimp.
In early February 2007, Jaranthada Karnasuta, director-general of Thailand's Fisheries Department, said that a working group had already prepared information on Thai shrimp and farming standards and would submit the document to Australian agencies when they meet on February 15, 2007. Biosecurity Australia will begin formulating its final decision on Thai imports on February 22, 2007. In 2006, Thailand exported $60 million worth of shrimp to Australia.
Source: MCOTNews. Thai shrimp farmers protest new Australian import rules (
http://etna.mcot.net/query.php?nid=27912). February 13, 2007.
