Jakarta.  Indonesia’s shrimp industry is pressing the government to swiftly restore market confidence in the United States following concerns over the discovery of Cesium-137 (Cs-137) contamination in August. Business groups say a three-pronged approach, science, diplomacy, and business engagement, is urgently needed to prevent buyers from shifting to rival suppliers such as Ecuador, India, or Vietnam.

Shrimp is one of Indonesia’s top seafood exports, generating between $1.7 billion (Rp 28.2 trillion) and $2.2 billion (Rp 36.5 trillion) in 2024, or about 40 percent of the country’s total marine and fisheries exports. The United States accounts for nearly 64 percent of Indonesia’s shrimp exports, making it the sector’s most critical market.

“This case has shaken confidence because almost 70 percent of our shrimp exports go to the US. We need the government to reassure American buyers that our products are safe,” said Shrimp Club Indonesia (SCI) chairman Andi Tamsil on Thursday.

Authorities have underscored that the radioactive contamination was limited to a cold storage facility in Cikande, Serang, and not linked to shrimp farms. Investigations by the Nuclear Energy Regulatory Agency (Bapeten) confirmed that Indonesian shrimp tested clear of Cs-137. Experts also underlined that Cs-137 is not naturally occurring and can only come from industrial pollution.

Even so, the fallout has already hit local farmers. Farm-gate shrimp prices have dropped by 30 to 40 percent since the issue surfaced, Andi said, warning of mounting losses and reduced cold storage absorption. US buyers, he added, are still waiting for official clarity before placing new orders.

SCI has urged the government to communicate more aggressively with American importers, including broadcasting lab test results and highlighting that the contamination was confined to a single facility.

The Marine Affairs and Fisheries Ministry, together with Nuclear Energy Regulatory Agency (Bapeten) and the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), has already conducted nationwide inspections across hatcheries, ponds, and processing facilities, with no trace of Cs-137 detected. To further reassure the public, the Ministry organized a “Shrimp Lunch” campaign in September, where more than 1,000 officials and farmers across Indonesia ate shrimp directly from local farms to demonstrate product safety.

Fisheries Minister Sakti Wahyu Trenggono reiterated that Indonesia’s quality control system is strict and consistent. “We are working closely with Bapeten to ensure consumer confidence in both domestic and export markets,” he said.
 

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