Thailand launches EU charm offensive to defend its shrimp industry
SEAFOODNEWS.COM [Bangkok Post] - October 27, 2014 -
Thailand has gone on a charm offensive to defend its prawn industry, hoping to convince Europeans that it is responding to allegations of slavery and torture in its fisheries sector.
The fishing industry, which accounts for 40% of food-product exports, has been badly damaged by accounts illegal immigrants being abused and held captive, forced into unpaid labour, sometimes on boats at sea for years without receiving any payment for their work.
Thailand pulled out the stops for the SIAL international food fair outside Paris this past week, sending a delegation replete with officials from the labour and fisheries ministries, plus police and anti-human trafficking experts as well as industry leaders. They then travelled on to Brussels to lobby EU officials...
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