FDA Issues Advisory on BMS Foods Shrimp Sold at Walmart Over Cs-137 Detection

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a public advisory warning consumers not to eat, sell, or serve frozen shrimp imported by PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati (doing business as BMS Foods) that is sold at Walmart locations nationwide.

The advisory follows a recent FDA import alert placing several BMS Foods products on the agency’s Red List due to concerns over radioactive contamination, as Expana first reported on August 15.

As of August 19, the FDA said no product that tested positive or alerted...

ANALYSIS: Live Lobster Market Outlook, Navigating Supply Constraints and Demand Uncertainty

 As the summer’s peak demand period winds down, the live lobster market faces an unexpected dynamic. Maine’s landings have been slow to gain momentum, resulting in supply that is tighter than anticipated. At the same time, both domestic and international demand have remained subdued. The absence of strong buyer interest—despite limited availability—has prompted market participants to question whether elevated price points, broader economic pressures, or shifting consumption patterns are dampening demand, a sharp departure from the robust activity typically seen during the height...

Joel Kawahara, West Coast Fisherman and Salmon Advocate, Lost at Sea

Early Wednesday afternoon, the U.S. Coast Guard boarded the salmon troller F/V Karolee 60 miles southeast of Eureka, CA and confirmed that no one was aboard. That ended the search for Captain Joel Kawahara, 70, whose last contact was with a friend Friday morning August 8, from the fishing grounds 30 miles or so west of Neah Bay, WA.

Concern among family and friends began growing on Sunday, August 10, after a weekend of no contact. Kawahara had texted a friend...

Corbion, KAS Collaborate to Scale Non-GMO Algal Astaxanthin

Corbion has entered a partnership with US biotech firm Kuehnle AgroSystems (KAS) to develop and commercialize natural astaxanthin derived from non-GMO heterotrophic algae.

The collaboration aims to offer a scalable, natural alternative to chemically synthesized or phototrophically derived astaxanthin currently dominating the market, the companies said.

Astaxanthin, a red-orange carotenoid pigment known for its antioxidant properties, occurs naturally in microalgae, salmon, and shrimp. It is used in nutraceuticals and in aquaculture diets, particularly in salmon farming.

The partnership will focus on producing the natural astaxanthin

ANALYSIS: Octopus Market Under Pressure from Decreased Supply and Tariff Headwinds

The U.S. octopus market has maintained a firm undertone across all major origins through most of 2025, with no significant relief in sight. Spanish octopus, in particular, remains under pronounced supply pressure, and market sources suggest that any real improvement in availability or pricing is unlikely before late 2025 or beyond.

U.S. Census import data for January through June highlights the ongoing constraints. While Spanish octopus imports saw a modest year-over-year increase of 1.8% in January, volumes have steadily declined since, with the largest drops recorded in...

Salfjord Wins Approval For 43,000MT Land-Based Salmon Farm in Norway

Norwegian land-based salmon farmer Salfjord announced that in May, it received approval for aquaculture licenses and a zoning plan for its facility at Tjeldbergodden.

The company’s new facility will produce 30 million smolt and 43,000 metric tons of salmon, trout, and rainbow trout per year.

“We now have all the key prerequisites in place to realize the project. This is a strong signal to investors, partners, and the local community that Salfjord is delivering as planned,” said Chairman Jan Harald Hauvik...

Scottish Salmon Exports on Track to Hit Record £1 Billion on Strong US, Asian Growth

Scottish salmon exports could reach the £1 billion ($1.4 billion) mark for the first time ever by the end of the year, according to Salmon Scotland.

Salmon Scotland noted that the latest data shows that salmon exports rose by 33% to £941 million in the rolling 12 months through June.

The group, which represents the farmed salmon sector in Scotland, said the data comes just as the country will be able to tap into the Indian market following...

Russia Eyes Boost in Kamchatka Crab Exports to China as Logistics Improve

Russia is ramping up its Kamchatka crab exports to China, leveraging streamlined border logistics and growing consumer demand to strengthen its position in Asia’s largest crab market.

According to a recent report by the Russian branch of Xinhua News Agency, the border town of Hunchun in Jilin Province, North-East China, has become a major hub for supplying Russian crab to the Chinese market in recent years.

According to Cui Ling, an employee of Hunchun Shengjin International Trade Co., Ltd...

Ecuador’s Shrimp Sector Still Facing $20 Million Monthly Tariff Burden Even with Rate Advantage

Even with the lowest US tariff rate among leading shrimp importers, Ecuador’s shrimp industry faces a hefty $20 million monthly tariff cost, posing serious challenges for the sector, according to the country’s National Chamber of Aquaculture (CNA).

Ecuador was the second-largest supplier of shrimp to the US, exporting 412 million pounds worth $1.28 billion, per the CNA. Between January and June 2025, the country shipped 296 million pounds of product valued at $867 million...

Change of CEOs at Nutreco and Skretting

Nutreco announced today that CEO David Blakemore will step down from his role on September 1, 2025, and will be succeeded by Bastiaan van Tilburg, who has been CEO of Skretting since June 2024.

Van Tilburg’s other internal roles at Nutreco have included general manager of Trouw Nutrition Benelux, Scandinavia and France, and Managing Director for Europe and Central Asia. Before joining Nutreco, van Tilburg held commercial and operational leadership positions at SHV subsidiary Makro in Brazil and spent four years at Royal Dutch Shell...

UNFI Warehouse Workers Win Big with New Teamsters Contract

More than 300 warehouse workers at United Natural Foods Inc. (UNFI) have ratified a new five-year contract.

The new agreement was overwhelmingly supported by workers and includes wage increases of up to $8 per hour, along with Teamsters health care coverage and participation in the Teamsters Western Conference Pension Plan.

"This contract is exactly why we joined the Teamsters," said Charles Dowling, a warehouse worker and member of Local 79. "We fought hard for the pay, benefits, and protections we...

Tariff Talks 2025: Expana's Weekly Rundown #22

Expana’s global team of specialist reporters has been tracking every twist and turn in the fluid tariff situation.

Click to read "Tariff Talks 2025: Expana's Weekly Rundown #22."

This report allows the Expana community to see where key commodity markets stand as of this past week... Click the above PDF report, or keep scrolling to read in plain text.

...

The timeline for tariff negotiations between the US and China trade teams has been extended for another 90 days—moving the deadline to November 10, according to a White House fact sheet...

ANALYSIS: Supply Constraints and Price Pressures Define 2025 Red King Crab Market

The global red king crab market is currently experiencing significant supply constraints and upward pricing pressure, which is reflected in both imported and domestic product availability. In Norway, the market has remained firm throughout the month, driven primarily by a quota reduction of approximately 60 percent in 2024. This sharp decrease in allowable catch has rendered supplies extremely tight, with buyers facing a “very dry” market situation. As a result, prices have continued to climb, and further cost increases are anticipated due to a...

Trump Says Immigration Plan Will Balance Farm Labor Needs and Border Security

US President Donald Trump said he is crafting an immigration plan aimed at bridging the gap between American farmers who rely on immigrant labor and advocates for stricter border policies—a balancing act that has taken center stage amid recent enforcement actions disrupting agricultural operations nationwide.

"The farmers want to have people who can work very hard in the field, and the other people don't want to have anybody from outside of our country. And I am working on a plan that I think is going to make...

Major Indonesian Shrimp Exporter PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati Placed on FDA Red List

PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati, the largest Indonesian shrimp supplier to the United States, will be subject to an automatic detention when its products enter the US.

On August 14, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published an import alert that said all products imported by PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati would be subject to detention without physical examination. The move puts the firm on the FDA’s “Red List.”

“This Import Alert covers specific firms and their food products that appear to have been prepared, packed, or held...

On Eve Of US-Russia Summit, Five Chinese Research Ships at Work in US Arctic Waters 

An unprecedented five scientific research vessels from the People’s Republic of China, including one Chinese icebreaker, are being monitored by the U.S. Coast Guard on the eve of an historic summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Anchorage tomorrow. 

Arctic research is not on the agenda for the high-level meeting, now set to take place at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, just north of Anchorage’s downtown area...

Champlain Seafood Expands with Purchase of BA Richard, a Long-time New Brunswick Lobster Processor

Champlain Seafood, a major Canadian snow crab and lobster processor, announced its acquisition of BA Richard, a lobster processor based in Sainte-Anne-de-Kent, New Brunswick.

Champlain noted that BA Richard’s operations trace back to the late 1800s. The company said it has been operated by four generations of the Richard family and has become a local staple.

BA Richard has had a 30-plus-year partnership with Cape Bald Packers, a company under the Champlain umbrella...