European retailers put pressure on Thai prawn suppliers

[Lite Beer]

Thai Shrimp Supplier Dismisses Alleged Links to Slave Labour

BY Khaosod Eng.

BANGKOK — Thai food giant Charoen Pokphand (CP) Foods fended off allegations it was complicit in forced labour in its supply chain, levelled by a British newspaper, a report said Saturday.

The company was "aware of the issue" of alleged trafficked labour involved in its shrimp production, and was working with the Thai fisheries authorities on its sustainability practices, chief executive Adirak Sripratak was quoted as saying by the Bangkok Post.

French retailer Carrefour said a day earlier it was suspending all purchasing from CP Foods, after a report in Britain's Guardian newspaper on Tuesday said Thailand's shrimp farmers, including CP, were buying feed made from fish caught using forced labour.

"At present we don't buy fishmeal without certified documents [from the Fisheries Department]," Adirak said.

The Guardian report said "large numbers of men [are] bought and sold like animals and held against their will on fishing boats off Thailand."

Many were illegal migrants from neighbouring countries hoping for job in plantations or factories, but who stumbled into the clutches of brokers who sold them to the boat operators, it said.

The boats supply a range of fish, including so-called trash fish, unusable for human consumption, which is ground up into shrimp feed.

Carrefour said its suspension was "a precautionary measure" until more investigations were made.

Environmental Justice Foundation executive director Steve Trent welcomed the retailer's response.

"Carrefour's decision should spur all companies selling Thai seafood to take similar action and carry out rigorous, independent audits of their entire supply chain, no matter who their suppliers are."

Source: http://en.khaosod.co.th/detail.php?newsid=1402733795&section=00

-- Khaosod English 2014-06-14

[clockman]

The truth always hurts!

[Thai at Heart]

At present we don't buy fishmeal without certified documents [from the Fisheries Department]," Adirak said.

That unfortunately is apparently genuinely not worth the paper it is written on.

Time for a bit of self regulation sir.

[wandasloan]

At present we don't buy fishmeal without certified documents [from the Fisheries Department]," Adirak said.

That unfortunately is apparently genuinely not worth the paper it is written on.

Time for a bit of self regulation sir.

Yessir. Just another link in the network. "Well the Fisheries Department's stamp is on it." How reliable can you get, eh? Everyone and everything is protected by the next level up. That's the PROBLEM, is, it's tentacles everywhere. Untangling them won't be simple.

Of course there is ONE MAN in Thailand with the full power to order any part of the government including the Fisheries Department to do anything he wants, since he is the government.... He seems to get a lot of good comments in these parts.

.

[Oziex1]

Maybe they will send the Jet Ski boys to beat up the European retailers

Back on topic- consumers have the ultimate power to boycott and force an end to this abuse.

Yes the consumers do have the ultimate power, however like the supermarket chains if the price is right no questions will be asked and little thought given for those enslaved in distant places. Sadly the lower socioeconomic groups of the western world are also the least informed, factual news reports or reality tv?

[Crushdepth]

Ok, so the big supermarket chains are getting concerned about the prawns that are fed fishmeal made from by-catch of slave-manned fishing boats.

What about the main catch????

I would think that these slave-crewed fishing boats' main source of income would be the primary catch, not the by-catch.

Are these supermarkets also buying fish from Thailand?

What is the market for the primary catch? That is where to sting them, not some secondary supply through broker-processor-merchant-prawn farmer-broker-Tesco.

It's the fishing side that needs to be cleaned up and frankly slavery and human trafficking are a fair description of what goes on. However, the guilt-by-association links to shrimp farming and CP is a bit of trade protectionism and environmental muck raking IMHO. If you've seen how the trash fish is generally handled off Thai boats it is not the sort of thing you want to use in shrimp feed. They don't use any old crap, the ingredients have to be reasonably fresh, and you won't be getting that off any old boat.

It's the government that should be cleaning up the fishing industry, since they assume responsibility for regulating it. The problems are clear cut and in your face at any fishing village. It's not like you're going to have problems finding undocumented migrant labour working boats at say Ban Nam Kem. You'll have problems finding a local.

[Oziex1]

Funny how the likes of Tesco will buy cheap prawns, as long as no one tells them why they are so cheap.

Slavery and corporate greed, Same Same!

[ggold]

Are the shrimps/prawns slaughtered halal style??

while I realise you are taking the piss! maybe you shouldn't show you're ignorance about halal processes. Shell fish of any kind are not halal and never will be.

[iReason]

The company... "was working with the Thai fisheries authorities on its sustainability practices,"...

"sustainability practices"?

Is that what it's called in the industry?

That's the best one I've heard since plausible deniability...

[samran]

Funny how the likes of Tesco will buy cheap prawns, as long as no one tells them why they are so cheap.

They only buy it cause, as customers, we demand it.

[Johpa]

No one touches CP.

That is the problem.

Right and wrong. No one touches CP, so what? That is NOT the problem. The problem is CP isn't even a real player in this. If you wiped out CP and burnt their headquarters, it would not make the slightest difference. The real problem is who else you don't touch. It's a GENERAL problem, in fact.

There are relationships that have been built over the generations between the general problem and the CP problem, most often seen with sons of the CP type problem marrying the daughters of the general type problem. But the more general problem with CP is the extractive problem, CP extracting more capital from Thailand than they reinvest.

[bluegum]

Funny how the likes of Tesco will buy cheap prawns, as long as no one tells them why they are so cheap.

They only buy it cause, as customers, we demand it.

Shrimps have been guilt food for me for a long time, ever since I learned how many critically important mangroves and wetlands had been encroached and illegally ripped up for shrimp farms all along Thailand's coast. Not to mention the chemical pollution and over-use of antibiotics. All well documented, reported and in the public domain. The industry thrives nevertheless.

Hopefully this current spotlight on the human tragedy of shrimp production will bring the industry into line with common morality, responsibility and respect for people and our environment.

[Absolut]

At present we don't buy fishmeal without certified documents [from the Fisheries Department]," Adirak said.

That unfortunately is apparently genuinely not worth the paper it is written on.

Time for a bit of self regulation sir.

And shouldn't a "full investigation" involve sending people all the way along the supply chain, with translators for thai & burmese to actually talk to workers on boats? One suspects an investigstion is more more checking paperwork and making a few calls.

[NeilSA1]

At present we don't buy fishmeal without certified documents [from the Fisheries Department]," Adirak said.

That unfortunately is apparently genuinely not worth the paper it is written on.

Time for a bit of self regulation sir.

Yessir. Just another link in the network. "Well the Fisheries Department's stamp is on it." How reliable can you get, eh? Everyone and everything is protected by the next level up. That's the PROBLEM, is, it's tentacles everywhere. Untangling them won't be simple.

Of course there is ONE MAN in Thailand with the full power to order any part of the government including the Fisheries Department to do anything he wants, since he is the government.... He seems to get a lot of good comments in these parts.

.

.... and deservedly so....

[peterb17]

Funny how the likes of Tesco will buy cheap prawns, as long as no one tells them why they are so cheap.

They only buy it cause, as customers, we demand it.

Shrimps have been guilt food for me for a long time, ever since I learned how many critically important mangroves and wetlands had been encroached and illegally ripped up for shrimp farms all along Thailand's coast. Not to mention the chemical pollution and over-use of antibiotics. All well documented, reported and in the public domain. The industry thrives nevertheless.

Hopefully this current spotlight on the human tragedy of shrimp production will bring the industry into line with common morality, responsibility and respect for people and our environment.

Would agree with your there- have been loads of documentaries on the damage to the environment - but the trouble is we live in a corporate world ( not always a bad thing) and the likes of Tesco are not exactly the most ethical corporations ( in the UK they would not sign up to more humane methods of chicken production- insisted on £2 chickens- raised in appalling conditions)

They will argue they are providing cheap food- at one time prawns were considered an expensive luxury product- sea fished- now no longer.

In Europe the source of food is becoming more important- restaurant can tell you which farm your dinner came from! Here heaven knows where the prawns, meat etc is produced.

[Baerboxer]

CP. Enough said.

Indeed. They are about to discover the power of the Social Responsibility Program

So are a few others. The UK chains have long exploited cheap labor, including sweatshops, child labor, "bonded" workers and slave labor. Food and clothes products. I'm sure the chains in other EU countries do just the same. Despite all the CSR and supply chain statements made in their Annual Reports.

This topic is becoming hot again. Cherrie Blair is active in this and has been speaking at a number of conferences recently.

But, there is a lot more than just CP and the Thai fishing industry to this.

[Thai at Heart]

At present we don't buy fishmeal without certified documents [from the Fisheries Department]," Adirak said.

That unfortunately is apparently genuinely not worth the paper it is written on.

Time for a bit of self regulation sir.

And shouldn't a "full investigation" involve sending people all the way along the supply chain, with translators for thai & burmese to actually talk to workers on boats? One suspects an investigstion is more more checking paperwork and making a few calls.

Well its to a point now, that potentially losing a major buyers business is worth more than covering it up.

So, I expect something approaching a proper change to come along. There is little point risking being in denial when the cost is 80% loss of your business.

[Baerboxer]

Funny how the likes of Tesco will buy cheap prawns, as long as no one tells them why they are so cheap.

That's why its imperative to have a free press.I don't expect companies to do much more than the least they can to save the world. Their job is to make money legally.

Slavery is illegal in Thailand. Indebted work is illegal in Thailand. Its not Tesco job to enforce the law in Thailand

Agree. But it is Tesco's responsibility not to knowingly support illegal activities to exploit low costs and increase profits through such support. By your logic Tesco could buy stolen goods, as it's not their job to enforce the law.

Many do of course, How is Tesco structured in Thailand - can only hold 49% of the shares. So who is making the real decisions?

Edited June 15, 2014 by Baerboxer

[Thai at Heart]

Funny how the likes of Tesco will buy cheap prawns, as long as no one tells them why they are so cheap.

That's why its imperative to have a free press.I don't expect companies to do much more than the least they can to save the world. Their job is to make money legally.

Slavery is illegal in Thailand. Indebted work is illegal in Thailand. Its not Tesco job to enforce the law in Thailand

Agree. But it is Tesco's responsibility not to knowingly support illegal activities to exploit low costs and increase profits through such support.

Many do of course, How is Tesco structured in Thailand - can only hold 49% of the shares. So who is making the real decisions?

I worked for a controversial.industry that started CSR while I was there.

The supplier proves that it complies. The European buyers covet there ass by saying rightfully that the Thai companies are lying and must improve.

I don't expect Bob from Milton Keynes UK supermarket head office to head off into the sea to find slaves. Now they have been found , Bob from MK will have the right to DEMAND that the supplier probably complies. No compliance, no order.

This is why the press snooping is so important. No Thai newspaper was ever going to float this story.

[blogger]

In the wake of the european announcement, major american fast food chain steps in to help tier 3 trafficking assisting company CP by buying their chicken read details at http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/McDonalds-Japan-switches-to-Thai-chicken-supplier-30239508.html