Director-General of the Malaysian Fisheries Department, Adnan Hussein, said on Monday that his country is awaiting a response from the Thai authorities regarding questions related to the quality of exports. “Once we receive the response, we will assess whether it meets Malaysia’s biosecurity requirements,” he told state news agency Bernama.
But the waiting game is already causing damage. As rumors of the suspension circulated in mid-May, farmgate prices fell by as much as 30 baht (90 US cents) per kilogram, according to Prisha Sokaim, 60, owner of the Sri Songkhla Shrimp Farm – one of about 3,000 southern shrimp farmers.
White shrimp, which normally fetch about 200 baht per kilogram, fell to 160 baht.
“When the ban officially took effect on June 1, prices fell even more and buyers completely disappeared,” Preccia said. “This has put us in a very difficult situation because shrimp is not a commodity that can be stored in a warehouse. We have to sell it immediately.”
Its base of operations, Songkhla, is about an hour from the Malaysian border, through which it usually exports about 30 tons of fresh shrimp daily.
