Cambodia’s suspension of fish import goes against WTO trade liberation spirit: Minister
Vietnamese Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh said Cambodia’s recent suspension of the import of some species of fish from neighbouring countries goes against a trade liberation spirit of the World Trade Organisation and the ASEAN Economic Community, of which both countries are members.
Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnamese Minister of Industryand Trade Tran Tuan Anh said Cambodia’s recent suspension of the import of somespecies of fish from neighbouring countries goes against a trade liberationspirit of the World Trade Organisation and the ASEAN Economic Community, ofwhich both countries are members.
In a letter sent to Cambodian Minister of Commerce PanSorasak, Minister Anh also noted that the ban will negatively impact bothCambodian and Vietnamese enterprises and consumers.
Anh sent the letter after the Cambodian Ministry ofAgriculture, Forestry and Fisheries announced a decision on January 8 ontemporarily banning the import of farmed fish, especially catfish, giantsnakehead fish and other farmed fish that can be locally bred from neighbouringcountries till further notice.
At Minister Anh’s request in the letter, the CambodianMinister of Commerce and Cambodian Minister of Agriculture, Forestry andFisheries Veng Sakhon held a meeting on January 29 to reconsider the ban.
In the coming time, the Ministry of Industry and Trade(MoIT) will continue working with relevant competent agencies of Cambodia to pushfor the settlement of the issue, and ensure the export of Vietnamese fish tothe country can return to normal.
Right after the announcement of the ban, many catfishbatches shipped to Cambodia via the Mekong Delta province of An Giang’s KhanhBinh border gate were denied entry and had to return.
According to the ministry, in recent years, Vietnam exportedabout 60 million USD worth of fishery products to Cambodia on an annual basis.Cambodia is not a major market of Vietnamese fishery products but its stableimport demand has contributed significantly to border trade development./.
Cambodia has temporarily banned all imports of farmed fish from neighbouring countries in efforts to promote locally farmed fish, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries (MAFF).
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Proccessing Tra fish for export (Photo: VNA) 
