Smuggling problem is serious, Mexico bans the import of Ecuadorian white shrimp

Mexico has temporarily closed imports of farmed shrimp from the Central American country due to concerns about irregularities and smuggling of Ecuadorian shrimp. The decision stems from a court order issued in October 2023 and was officially notified by Mexican Customs on January 23. The ban was granted by the Sinaloa Seventh District Court in response to a complaint filed by the Sinaloa Aquaculture Organization. The root cause of the problem is Mexico's claim that these countries are importing shrimp from Ecuador and then transshipping it to the Mexican market. Therefore, the The decision aims to prevent the entry of Ecuadorian shrimp through Central American countries (Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua and Honduras), which have free trade agreements (FTAs) with Mexico. ​ Authorities say the sudden closure of the Mexican market could pose a major challenge to all Central American farmed shrimp industries. Guatemala, for example, exported about $70 million in shrimp ...