Shrimp Exports To The US Can Still Run, But Must Meet FDA Standards

Exports of shrimp from Indonesia to the US can still run (doc. KKP).

JAKARTA - The Indonesian government through the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) ensures that Indonesia can still export shrimp to the United States (US) and maintain markets there even though there are regulations for tightening imports of shrimp from Indonesia by the US Government through Import Alert (IA) 99-51 and IA 99-52.

This was confirmed after the KKP together with the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) agreed on the arrangement after the IA 99-52 was announced.

Quoted from the official Instagram account @kkpgoid, Saturday, October 18, 2025, the KKP and US FDA agreed that the shrimp containers that were on water before October 13, 2025 could still enter the US even though the IA 99-52 had been announced.

"KKP and the FDA agreed on arrangements after IA 99-52 so that businesses are not negatively affected by sudden changes to the rules, but still maintain food safety standards and import supervision," wrote the Instagram account.

Even so, the FDA provides several conditions for containers on trips or in transits from the Republic of Indonesia which will arrive in the US after October 31, 2015.

First, passing the alternative screening procedure by the FDA. Second, for containers that have been on their way before October 13, 2025 and will arrive in the US at the time after October 31, 2025.

The KKP explained that for importers in the US who can prove that containers are already on their way to the US at or before Monday, October 13, 2025, DWPE does not apply based on IA 99-52.

"However, these containers will be alternative imported administrative and screening procedures, including containers that arrive after October 31, 2025," he concluded.

To note, in August 2025, the FDA detected Cs-137 contamination of frozen shrimp products exported by PT Bahari Makmur Sejati (BMS).

The company is one of the largest suppliers in the US and is recorded to have shipped 38 million kilograms of shrimp this year.

Not only that, but the FDA also detected Cs-137 contamination of spice products from the Republic of Indonesia.

In a report published by the FDA, exposure to Cesium-137 radioactive substances was detected in the cloves sent by the company PT Natural Java Spice to California.

Based on these findings, the FDA then blocked the import of all spices from PT Natural Java Spices (NJS).

The FDA emphasized that it will tighten supervision of all products from Indonesia, both spices and seafood.

All products from the two Indonesian companies will remain detained until there is evidence of improvement.

In fact, it is possible that the ban list will be expanded if new violations of products from Indonesia are found.