Indonesia's shrimp exports to the United States surged 16.3 percent year-on-year through the third quarter of 2025, reaching USD 1.39 billion for January through September with a volume of 99,170 tons, according to the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, as the country maintains its dominant position with a 63.1 percent share of the American shrimp market.
The impressive growth comes after Indonesia successfully resolved concerns over Cesium-137 radioactive contamination detected in July 2025, becoming the world's first nation to receive certification authority from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for radiation-free verification in fisheries products—a designation that Head of the Quality Control Agency Ishartini called a shift from "crisis reaction" to becoming a "standard setting nation."
The government's swift cross-agency response involved the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries collaborating with the Nuclear Energy Regulatory Agency (BAPETEN), the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, and U.S. authorities to conduct field audits, strengthen laboratory facilities, and implement zero-compromise protocols based on verifiable scientific data, with the detected level of 68 Bq/kg falling far below the FDA's safety threshold of 1,200 Bq/kg.
Following the implementation of the full certification scheme on October 31, 2025, Indonesia exported seven containers totaling 106 tons valued at USD 1.22 million to the United States, with the ministry targeting over 200 containers for November shipment to meet Christmas and New Year demand, as Director of Business Empowerment Catur Sarwanto noted that September exports alone grew 16.6 percent compared to August.
Minister Sakti Wahyu Trenggono emphasized that the contamination was a localized, site-specific incident at PT BMS Cikande-Serang—not originating from farms or hatcheries—while the government strengthened quality control through implementing Good Aquaculture Practices to ensure Indonesian shrimp meets the highest standards for food safety, environmental sustainability, and product quality.
