KKP: Shrimp Pulled by the US is Not a New Shirt, but a Waste Product of PT BMS Cikande

Illustration - Vaname shrimp. ANTARA FOTO/Moch Asim/wsj.

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) has confirmed that the withdrawal of Indonesian shrimp in the United States (US) in December 2025 is not a new case. The product that was withdrawn was a product from PT BMS that was contaminated with radioactive Cesium-137 (Cs-137) and had not been completely withdrawn.

"I have read the official release from the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and also confirmed to business actors through AP5I (Association of Indonesian Fish Processing and Marketing Entrepreneurs, so that shrimp is recalled or withdrawn and reported in the mass media or viral is not a new case, but remnants of products from the old case of shrimp PT BMS Cikande," said Head of the Marine and Fisheries Product Quality Control and Supervision Agency (Badan Mutu KKP) Ishartini quoted from a written statement, Saturday, December 27.

According to Ishartini, many products from PT BMS have been circulating and there is an appeal from the US Government to return the product. The return was carried out gradually. He has not confirmed whether there will be any more returns or not.

"Many reports of the withdrawal of frozen shrimp by the FDA in various media are actually old products from PT BMS Cikande which require a long time for withdrawal or return because the volume is large to thousands of tons," he said.

However, Ishartini said, more than 900 containers of shrimp from Indonesia have entered the US. He guarantees that the quality of shrimp is free from radioactive and other harmful substances.

"Until December 22, 2025, as many as 954 containers with a volume of 20,454 tons worth Rp3.6 trillion are on their way to the US or on water. All of the above containers have been equipped with Cesium-137 Free SMKHP issued by BPPMHKP as the Certifying Entity recognized by the FDA," he explained.

Ishartini explained that his party continued to communicate with the US Government if there were shrimp that were suspected of cesium or other substances. Until now, there have been no new cases of shrimp contaminated with Cesium-137.

"FDA and the KKP Quality Agency have official communication channels. So if there is a new case of finding, FDA will only provide notification through their official channels and announced through the website," he added.

Previously, Direct Source Seafood LLC based in Bellevue, Washington, United States, announced the recall of approximately 83,800 bags of imported frozen shrimp from Indonesia, on December 19, 2025. The product is marketed under the brands Market 32 and Waterfront Bistro.