The Chinese government has suspended shipments from Ecuadorian shrimp giant Songa, after the presence of white spot disease was found in a consignment, shrimp producers trade body, the National Chamber of Aquaculture (CNA) confirmed.

Chinese customs notified the Ecuadorian ambassador in Beijing of the development.

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Following an agreement between China and Ecuador in 2019, each batch of shrimp is tested for white spot disease.

Exports of Ecuadorian shrimp to China suffered a massive slump beginning in July, after a series of discoveries of COVID-19 on outer packaging containing their products, leading to fears that a recovery in shipments to China could be years away.

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The country's shrimp producers insist any discoveries of COVID-19 must have come from contact with external sources as they pass through a long chain of custody to their final destination.

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In mid-August, China lifted a suspension on the importation of shrimp from Ecuadorian exporter Empacadora del Pacifico (EdPacif), after lifting similar suspensions on Ecuador's largest shrimp exporter Santa Priscila and Empacreci days earlier.

Dialogue between Chinese and Ecuadorian officials resulted in the two countries signing a protocol agreement in August aimed at smoothing the import of Ecuadorian shrimp to the Asian nation.