US easing import ban for Chinese farmed seafood

Tor-Eddie Fossbakk The International Herald Tribune reported that Zhangian Guolian Aquatic Products Inc. Ltd. is so far the only Chinese exporter to seek and gain exemption from the Food and Drug Administration import restrictions on five types of farmed seafood. When US authorities implemented the restrictions, it immediately stopped about 700 Chinese seafood companies from exporting to the United States. The restrictions were put in place by the FDA after repeated testing of Chinese imports turned up contamination from drugs not allowed in the United States for use in farmed seafood. In addition to shrimp, the restrictions covered eel and three types of fish — catfish, basa and dace. The FDA allowed the company to resume exports after inspecting its processing plant. It also received third-party analyses of five consecutive shipments of shrimp that showed they were free of antibiotic residues. It is expected that the Chinese government will use Zhangian as a model for other companies seeking export exemptions to the US market.