The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has signed a confidential agreement with the Ministry of Production, Foreign Trade, Investment, Aquaculture and Fisheries of Ecuador's (MPCEIP) as part of a strategic cooperation between the two countries to provide increased support for the sale of Ecuadorian fisheries and aquaculture products to the U.S. market.

Jose Antonio Camposano, President of the Ecuadorian Aquaculture Chamber (CNA), said, "The main purpose of the agreement is to strengthen the cooperation between the two governments and provide the necessary guarantees and controls for Ecuadorian seafood to enter the US market. This is an official U.S. effort to support Ecuadorean seafood trade and facilitate the sale of shrimp products to the United States."

According to the agreement, Ecuador will be able to participate in a pilot program to ensure the safety of shrimp exports. Regulators from both countries will exchange internal information, including inspection records, draft regulations and guidelines, and other non-public documents.

The signing ceremony was held in Guayaquil on 19 August in the presence of MPCEIP Minister Julio Jose Prado, Deputy Minister Andres Arens and FDA Deputy Commissioner for Global Policy and Strategy Mark Abdoo.

Yahira Piedrahita, CNA Executive Director, said: "The FDA's agreement with the Ecuadorean government will be a good start to the process of working with one of our most important export markets. The export of our shrimp to the United States will provide official assurance that the process will be accelerated."

As part of the agreement, FDA representatives have been invited by Ecuador to conduct site visits and inspections, including visits to hatcheries, breeding farms, processing plants, feed mills, distributors and laboratories.

http://news.foodmate.net/2022/09/640270.html