On January 22, 2021, the Chinese Customs announced on its official website a ban on access to Songa company (Sociedad Nacional de Galápagos C.A.).
Songa is one of the world leaders in vannamei shrimp production. They are vertically integrated, they own the first aquaculture pond in Ecuador, active since 1967, they have maturation laboratories, 8,000 hectares of ponds and a packing plant with process capacity of 400 tons per day. Their quality products position them within the 5 main exporters of Ecuador. They exported a total of 65,000 tons in 2020.
The specific reason for the ban is unknown, and when the ban will be lifted has not yet been notified.
But according to industry sources: the ban is not because of the coronavirus, but the detection of white spot syndrome virus (WSSV). The Ecuador company has received a letter from the relevant Chinese Customs departments.
