Bangkok: "Jury" has called on the Thai government to expedite discussions with Malaysia to address the ban on Thai shrimp, as the embargo threatens significant financial losses for farmers in the southern region of Thailand. Mr. Juri Numkaew, a Member of Parliament from Songkhla Province's Constituency 2, representing the Democrat Party, has highlighted the urgent need for action during a recent House of Representatives meeting.
According to Thai News Agency, the plight of shrimp farmers has been exacerbated by Malaysia's decision to ban imports of five Thai shrimp species, effective from June 1, 2026. This decision has led to a drastic decline in shrimp prices, leaving millions of kilograms of shrimp stranded in ponds. Southern Thailand typically exports an average of 30 tons of shrimp daily to Malaysia, which helps sustain domestic shrimp prices and facilitates the distribution of shrimp from other regions for sale in the area.
The recent import suspension by Malaysia has resulted in an oversupply of shrimp in the market, causing the farm-gate price of shrimp to plummet by 40-50 baht per kilogram. If this situation persists, the unharvested shrimp will begin to perish, further increasing production costs to unsustainable levels for farmers.
Mr. Juri emphasized that resolving this issue should be straightforward due to the historically positive relations between Thailand and Malaysia. He has urged the Prime Minister, along with the Ministers of Agriculture and Cooperatives and Commerce, to engage in direct negotiations with Malaysian authorities. The goal is to relax the current import ban, allowing farmers to sell their existing shrimp stock and recover their investments.
"We urge the government to urgently negotiate a relaxation of the current ban on shrimp imports," Mr. Juri stated. He also mentioned that any existing trade conflicts or retaliatory measures regarding sea bass can be addressed after the shrimp farmers have been assisted. The immediate priority is to ensure the survival of shrimp farmers in the South.