Washington [US], January 5 : The Southern Shrimp Alliance (SSA), a group representing US shrimpers, has renewed its call for the US government to take action against a Chinese seafood processor, Rongcheng Sanyue Foodstuff Co., over allegations of forced labour, IntraFish reported.
The SSA has submitted a petition to the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS), requesting that the company be added to the Uyghur Forced Labour Prevention Act Entity List, which targets companies linked to forced labour in China's Xinjiang region.
This petition follows a similar effort in June when the DHS added Shandong Meijia Group (also known as Rizhao Meijia Group) to the same list, at the SSA's request.
The alliance is now calling for Rongcheng Sanyue's inclusion, citing the company's refusal to allow US officials to inspect its facilities in China. Despite this, Rongcheng Sanyue continues to export Argentine red shrimp to the US market, reported IntraFish.
The SSA has also raised concerns about the exportation of Argentine red shrimp by Chinese processors to the US without proper documentation. The group argues that US consumers have no way of knowing whether the shrimp they purchase was processed in China.
They further point out that some shipments have passed through Shandong, a region tied to forced labour.
In response, the US government has prioritised the seafood industry for enforcement, given the risks of forced labour involving Uyghur Muslims and other persecuted groups. This follows investigations, including one by the Outlaw Ocean Project, which documented the use of Uyghur workers in Chinese seafood plants, IntraFish reported.
The SSA's petition emphasises its continued efforts to ensure that shrimp and other seafood products sold in the US are not produced under exploitative conditions.
The group is calling for stricter oversight of companies suspected of engaging in forced labour practices.
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