Frozen Shrimp: Indonesia's Main Export Target for the First Half of 2025

Data from Indonesia’s Central Statistics Agency (BPS) shows that Indonesia exported 70,035.6 tons of frozen shrimp in 2024.

During this period, the United States (US) was the main destination for Indonesia's frozen shrimp exports, reaching 42,800 tons, or 61% of total national exports.

Besides the US, Indonesia also supplied a significant amount of frozen shrimp to several Asian countries, including Japan, China, and South Korea.

Below is a complete list of the top 10 export destinations for Indonesian frozen shrimp based on volume in the first half of 2025:

1. United States: 42,803.44 tons

2. Japan: 11,956.35 tons

3. China: 5,725.71 tons

4. Canada: 1,761.54 tons

5. Taiwan: 1,161.83 tons

6. Netherlands: 1,050.77 tons

7. South Korea: 764.85 tons

8. Russia: 610.31 tons

9. Malaysia: 519.51 tons

10. United Kingdom: 357.28 tons

Combined, these 10 countries absorbed 95% of the total volume of Indonesia's frozen shrimp exports in the first half of 2025.

In addition, Indonesia also exported frozen shrimp to other countries with a combined volume of 3,320 tons.

Issue of Radioactively Contaminated Frozen Shrimp in Indonesia

Previously, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) found suspected contamination of Cesium-137, a radioactive substance, in frozen shrimp originating from Indonesia.

Responding to this, Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Sakti Wahyu Trenggono affirmed that shrimp exports continued normally, despite the findings in a container belonging to PT Bahari Makmur Sejati (BMS Foods) that was shipped to the US.

"We explained to the FDA that we have localized this issue so that shipments from locations outside this area can be accepted," Trenggono said in a statement, as reported by Kumparan, Wednesday (3/9/2025).

He also ensured that there were no nuclear materials around the production sites of frozen shrimp exported to the US, as Indonesia does not possess nuclear weapons.

For information, PT BMS produces shrimp at two factories, namely in Medan and Cikande, Serang Regency, Banten. Trenggono stated that shrimp from Medan was not exposed to radiation, while shrimp from Cikande was contaminated through airborne exposure.