A prawn export processing line. (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) - The Vietnamese Government has accused Australia of"causing serious damage" to its prawn farmers and exporters and hasasked the Federal Government to reconsider the ban on uncooked prawn imports.
FederalAgriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce announced a six-month suspension on theimport of raw prawns in January, following an outbreak of white spot disease inQueensland.
Vietnam’sdeputy minister of Industry and Trade Tran Quoc Khanh said the ban had damagedhis country’s aquaculture industry, which exports about 55 million USD worth ofuncooked prawns to Australia.
"Inour view, [the ban] is not in line with common practices and the spirit ofnurturing and enhancing the existing good trade relationship between Vietnamand Australia," Khanh said.
"Thetemporary ban on uncooked prawns was issued by the Australian Governmentwithout giving sufficient time, by advance warning, for Vietnamese prawnexporters to take needed actions to avoid such large economic losses.
"Theprawn import suspension imposed by the Australian Government has been causingserious damage to the prawn farmers and exporters in Vietnam.
"Anumber of Vietnamese exporters specialising in the Australian market are facingthe risk of going bankrupt due to the suspension."
Australianauthorities are still investigating how white spot disease spread to Australia,while prawn farmers have blamed Asian imports.
Khanhsaid Vietnam should be allowed to keep exporting raw prawns to Australia untilthere is proof that imported prawns were the source of the outbreak.
"IfAustralia continues to maintain the ban, Vietnam requests that it provideadequate scientific evidence as soon as possible showing a causal relationshipbetween prawn imports from Vietnam and the outbreak of white spot disease inAustralia," he added.
Vietnam’sGovernment said the ban may be in breach of a World Trade Organisation agreementon how governments should apply food safety measures to traded products.
"SomeVietnamese businesses view the suspension as going beyond the necessary extentprovided for in the WTO agreement, but we are still studying this point of viewof Vietnamese companies," he said.
Biosecurityfailures
TheSeafood Importers Association of Australia has previously said the ban haddamaged Australia’s international trade reputation, but the Department ofAgriculture defended the move, saying it was necessary to protect the nation’saquaculture industry.
Thedeputy minister said he respected Australia’s sovereignty and biosecuritydecisions, but nonetheless asked the Federal Government to reconsider the needfor a ban.
"Weare supportive of the actions taken by the Australian Government in applyingnecessary measures to control the outbreak," he said.
"Thisdoes not imply that we push aside the safety of the Australian prawn farmingindustry.
"Wecall for the close cooperation by the two sides in taking alternative measuresthat have less negative impacts on our bilateral trade, while ensuring thesafety of the Australian prawn farming industry and the environment inAustralia."
Hesaid Vietnamese uncooked prawn products had been exported to many countriesaround the world without facing any import suspension.
"Weare willing to support the Australian Government’s decision on prawn importsuspension but only when other measures which have less negative impacts ontrade have proved to be ineffective or useless," he said.
Vietnamand Australia have disagreed over bilateral agricultural trade before.
In2015, Vietnam temporarily banned the importation of fruits from Australiafollowing a disagreement over Mediterranean fruit fly.
Suspensiondecision not taken lightly
Anincrease in exotic pets and diseases has prompted Australian farmers andenvironmentalists to demand more focus on biosecurity.
AnAustralian Agriculture Department spokesperson said the government and thedepartment had "the utmost respect for domestic farming industries in Vietnamand across the globe".
"Ourwork to support technical market access in countries that Australia exports to,as well as those that we import from, is firmly based on the safety andbiosecurity of local industries both in Australia and overseas, as well as themutual economic benefits of trade," the spokesperson said.
"Thedepartment recognises that this suspension will have flow-on effects to Australianconsumers and international exporters, including Vietnam. The decision is notone that has been taken lightly."
Thespokesperson said the suspension complied with the provisions of WTO agreementsthat allow a member to temporarily suspend imports in certain circumstances.
Thedecision to suspend prawn imports will not be in place longer than is necessaryto ensure the protection of the domestic prawn industry, which remains thefirst priority, the spokesperson said.-VNA
FederalAgriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce announced a six-month suspension on theimport of raw prawns in January, following an outbreak of white spot disease inQueensland.
Vietnam’sdeputy minister of Industry and Trade Tran Quoc Khanh said the ban had damagedhis country’s aquaculture industry, which exports about 55 million USD worth ofuncooked prawns to Australia.
"Inour view, [the ban] is not in line with common practices and the spirit ofnurturing and enhancing the existing good trade relationship between Vietnamand Australia," Khanh said.
"Thetemporary ban on uncooked prawns was issued by the Australian Governmentwithout giving sufficient time, by advance warning, for Vietnamese prawnexporters to take needed actions to avoid such large economic losses.
"Theprawn import suspension imposed by the Australian Government has been causingserious damage to the prawn farmers and exporters in Vietnam.
"Anumber of Vietnamese exporters specialising in the Australian market are facingthe risk of going bankrupt due to the suspension."
Australianauthorities are still investigating how white spot disease spread to Australia,while prawn farmers have blamed Asian imports.
Khanhsaid Vietnam should be allowed to keep exporting raw prawns to Australia untilthere is proof that imported prawns were the source of the outbreak.
"IfAustralia continues to maintain the ban, Vietnam requests that it provideadequate scientific evidence as soon as possible showing a causal relationshipbetween prawn imports from Vietnam and the outbreak of white spot disease inAustralia," he added.
Vietnam’sGovernment said the ban may be in breach of a World Trade Organisation agreementon how governments should apply food safety measures to traded products.
"SomeVietnamese businesses view the suspension as going beyond the necessary extentprovided for in the WTO agreement, but we are still studying this point of viewof Vietnamese companies," he said.
Biosecurityfailures
TheSeafood Importers Association of Australia has previously said the ban haddamaged Australia’s international trade reputation, but the Department ofAgriculture defended the move, saying it was necessary to protect the nation’saquaculture industry.
Thedeputy minister said he respected Australia’s sovereignty and biosecuritydecisions, but nonetheless asked the Federal Government to reconsider the needfor a ban.
"Weare supportive of the actions taken by the Australian Government in applyingnecessary measures to control the outbreak," he said.
"Thisdoes not imply that we push aside the safety of the Australian prawn farmingindustry.
"Wecall for the close cooperation by the two sides in taking alternative measuresthat have less negative impacts on our bilateral trade, while ensuring thesafety of the Australian prawn farming industry and the environment inAustralia."
Hesaid Vietnamese uncooked prawn products had been exported to many countriesaround the world without facing any import suspension.
"Weare willing to support the Australian Government’s decision on prawn importsuspension but only when other measures which have less negative impacts ontrade have proved to be ineffective or useless," he said.
Vietnamand Australia have disagreed over bilateral agricultural trade before.
In2015, Vietnam temporarily banned the importation of fruits from Australiafollowing a disagreement over Mediterranean fruit fly.
Suspensiondecision not taken lightly
Anincrease in exotic pets and diseases has prompted Australian farmers andenvironmentalists to demand more focus on biosecurity.
AnAustralian Agriculture Department spokesperson said the government and thedepartment had "the utmost respect for domestic farming industries in Vietnamand across the globe".
"Ourwork to support technical market access in countries that Australia exports to,as well as those that we import from, is firmly based on the safety andbiosecurity of local industries both in Australia and overseas, as well as themutual economic benefits of trade," the spokesperson said.
"Thedepartment recognises that this suspension will have flow-on effects to Australianconsumers and international exporters, including Vietnam. The decision is notone that has been taken lightly."
Thespokesperson said the suspension complied with the provisions of WTO agreementsthat allow a member to temporarily suspend imports in certain circumstances.
Thedecision to suspend prawn imports will not be in place longer than is necessaryto ensure the protection of the domestic prawn industry, which remains thefirst priority, the spokesperson said.-VNA
VNA
