Shrimp smuggling poses a threat to 400,000 direct and indirect jobs and the livelihoods of nearly 2 million people in northwestern Mexico.
Senator Paloma Sánchez Ramos, of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), accompanied by aquaculture producers from Sinaloa and Nayarit, denounced the impact of the illegal entry of Ecuadorian shrimp, which is causing an unprecedented crisis for Mexican fish farmers and fishermen, many of whom are artisanal, Indigenous, and women.
The producers reported the entry of up to 20 truckloads daily, despite the ban on importing shrimp from Ecuador, following a relabeling process in Central America, especially through Honduras and Guatemala.
They stated that corruption at customs has reached a level never before seen. They asserted that corrupt officials who allow shrimp smuggling without inspection should be imprisoned.
Aquaculture producers denounced that shrimp smuggling allows importers to buy at lower prices, but this does not translate into better final prices for consumers.
Therefore, they demanded the immediate implementation of safeguards to completely halt the entry of illegal shrimp, as well as strengthened customs inspections and protection for the thousands of families who depend on this strategic activity for the country. They reported that, due to this crisis, more than 20,000 tons remain unsold in storage during Lent, a key season.
Furthermore, they mentioned that a drop of over 50% in prices has been documented, leaving the sector facing a near-collapse. Producers also warned of health risks, recalling past outbreaks such as Taura syndrome and white spot disease, crises responsible for devastating production, a factor that has worsened the economic and production outlook.
The shrimp industry provides 17,000 direct jobs and 85,000 indirect jobs, impacting more than 450,000 people. In Sonora, Sinaloa and Nayarit, 90% of the national production is concentrated; in Sinaloa, more than 900 producers operate, along with thousands of artisanal fishermen and indigenous communities, while in Nayarit, 882 shrimp farms operate, mostly from the social sector.
Source: cafenegroportal
