Malaysia Continues Thai Prawn Import Suspension Pending Technical Assessment
KOTA BHARU: Malaysia will maintain the temporary suspension of import permits for five species of prawns from Thailand while the Department of Fisheries (DOF) completes a technical review of information submitted by the Thai authorities, a process expected to take at least 30 days once all required documentation has been received.
Department of Fisheries Director-General Datuk Adnan Hussain said a technical committee established by the department is currently examining documents provided by Thailand as part of the second stage of the evaluation process.
According to him, the committee is expected to convene next week to review the submission before determining the next course of action regarding Thailand’s request to resume prawn exports to Malaysia.
Adnan explained that if the documents submitted are complete, the department will require a minimum of 30 days to conduct a detailed assessment covering all technical information before reaching any decision.
He said the evaluation is intended to ensure Malaysian authorities obtain a comprehensive understanding of the information provided by Thailand before considering any changes to the existing import restrictions.
Malaysia has maintained the suspension of import permits since 1 June while the assessment remains ongoing.
The DOF said the precautionary measure is aimed at protecting Malaysia’s aquaculture industry by ensuring imported prawns are free from diseases that could threaten local production, while also verifying compliance with national regulations governing prohibited chemical substances.
Adnan noted that Malaysia is also facing a longstanding market access issue, as exports of locally farmed prawns to Thailand have not been permitted since 2017.
To address that situation, the department is continuing efforts to strengthen aquatic animal health management and improve compliance with national biosecurity standards to ensure Malaysian farmed prawns satisfy Thailand’s import requirements, including certification that products are free from disease and prohibited chemical residues.
The current restrictions follow measures introduced by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security on 16 May, which included a Certificate of Analysis (CoA) requirement for seabass imported from Thailand and the temporary suspension of import permits covering five prawn species.
The ministry previously stated that the suspension would remain in effect until Thai authorities provide a complete official response to Malaysia’s technical questionnaire, after which the information would undergo evaluation by the relevant Malaysian authorities.
The Department of Fisheries said the assessment process is intended to balance trade facilitation with the need to safeguard animal health, food safety and the long-term sustainability of Malaysia’s aquaculture sector before any decision is made on resuming imports.
