Gloomy prospect for Thai shrimp exports to EU

[webfact]

Gloomy prospect for Thai shrimp exports to EU
By English News



BANGKOK, July 3 – Thai shrimp breeders have called on the European Union to review the cutting of the Generalised System Preferences (GSP) for Thai processed shrimps.

A group of breeders, led by the Thai Shrimp Association (TSA), submitted a letter to an EU envoy, complaining that Thai shrimp exports will be subject to 20 per cent duty, a sharp increase from the current 7 per cent, when the revised GSP privileges schedule takes effect on January 1, 2014.

TSA chairman Somsak Panitatyasai, said the Thai shrimp industry has been severely hit by the infectious early mortality syndrome (EMS) since late last year, slashing domestic shrimp production by 50 per cent.

This year’s total shrimp production will be about 250,000 tonnes, down from the normal volume of 500,000-550,000 tonnes, he said.

“The EMS infection has hit the local shrimp industry while the cut of GSP privileges by EU will worsen the country’s exports and affect at least 1.5 million breeders,” he said.

Thai shrimp exports to EU in the first five months of this year were 12,548 tonnes or Bt3.696 billion, a drop by 38 per cent in volume and 34 per cent in value compared to the corresponding period of last year.

According to the Eurostat report, the EU imported 704,162 tonnes of shrimp, including 50,021 tonnes from Thailand, last year. (MCOT online news)


-- TNA 2013-07-03

[geriatrickid]

If Thailand's shrimp production has been cut in half, by about 250,000 tons then how does the loss of market of 10-30,000 tons matter?

Maybe that additional 13% duty is justified?

Thailand can still dump what I consider to be a dangerous product into the North American market, especially the Canadian market where there is little oversight over Thai shrimp imports.

[waza]

If Thailand's shrimp production has been cut in half, by about 250,000 tons then how does the loss of market of 10-30,000 tons matter?

Maybe that additional 13% duty is justified?

Thailand can still dump what I consider to be a dangerous product into the North American market, especially the Canadian market where there is little oversight over Thai shrimp imports.

Maybe not

US imposes anti-dumping duties on Thai shrimp

Thailand and four other countries will be subjected to anti-dumping tariffs on shrimp exports to the United States.

The US Department of Commerce (DOC) announced on May 29 that it will impose anti-subsidy tariffs of nearly 63 per cent on frozen shrimp imported from China, India, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/US-imposes-anti-dumping-duties-on-Thai-shrimp-30207207.html

But don't worry the Thai tax payer will pick up the bill.......

Ex-farm prices of vannamei in Thailand were 20% lower in May than the same month last year as a result of an influx of supplies, but recovered by 2-3% in July as a result of government and industry intervention. Overall, prices of Thai vannamei shrimp have dropped from USD 5.6/kg in January to around USD 4.00/kg in May...........In early May, the Thai government approved a budget of THB 2 billion (USD 66.6 million) to intervene in the market to prevent the sharp drop in prices of farmed shrimp. About THB 93.85 million (USD 3.1 million) will be used to subsidise interest rates for seafood processors to purchase 30 000 tonnes of vannamei from farmers at THB 135 (USD 4.4) a kg for size 60 pieces/kg. http://www.globefish.org/shrimp-asia-october-2012.html

Edited July 3, 2013 by waza

[Pib]

Anybody for rice and shrimp....with exports in these two products being hit hard for various reasons, rice and shrimp prices "within" Thailand could go down in price very significantly as rice/shrimp producers try to offload oversupply.

[Neilly]

A group of breeders, led by the Thai Shrimp Association (TSA), submitted a letter to an EU envoy, complaining that Thai shrimp exports will be subject to 20 per cent duty, a sharp increase from the current 7 per cent, when the revised GSP privileges schedule takes effect on January 1, 2014.

I bet they put the price up

[johna]

anybody ever noticed the environmental damage shrimp farming does to Thailand, you can see abandoned shrimp farms along the coast, not a blade of grass grows near these farms.

[jaidam]

anybody ever noticed the environmental damage shrimp farming does to Thailand, you can see abandoned shrimp farms along the coast, not a blade of grass grows near these farms.

Yes I noticed this on a trip down the SE coast, the sheer scale of the wasteland was incredible. I was wondering if the land is toxic because it was flooded with saltwater, or is it due to chemicals used? Surely there is some way to rehabilitate the land and ultimately replant the mangrove forests?

[pedro01]

anybody ever noticed the environmental damage shrimp farming does to Thailand, you can see abandoned shrimp farms along the coast, not a blade of grass grows near these farms.

Yes I noticed this on a trip down the SE coast, the sheer scale of the wasteland was incredible. I was wondering if the land is toxic because it was flooded with saltwater, or is it due to chemicals used? Surely there is some way to rehabilitate the land and ultimately replant the mangrove forests?

As I understand it - the shrimps produce the waste that kills off the land.

[laurab74]

anybody ever noticed the environmental damage shrimp farming does to Thailand, you can see abandoned shrimp farms along the coast, not a blade of grass grows near these farms.

Yes I noticed this on a trip down the SE coast, the sheer scale of the wasteland was incredible. I was wondering if the land is toxic because it was flooded with saltwater, or is it due to chemicals used? Surely there is some way to rehabilitate the land and ultimately replant the mangrove forests?

As I understand it - the shrimps produce the waste that kills off the land.

Shrimp waste kills off the land? Are you serious? It's much more likely to be the antibiotics chemicals and hormones added to the water that degrade the land. You don't 'kill land'. Edited July 3, 2013 by Rimmer

[toybits]

Make more Tomyum Kung!

[pedro01]

anybody ever noticed the environmental damage shrimp farming does to Thailand, you can see abandoned shrimp farms along the coast, not a blade of grass grows near these farms.

Yes I noticed this on a trip down the SE coast, the sheer scale of the wasteland was incredible. I was wondering if the land is toxic because it was flooded with saltwater, or is it due to chemicals used? Surely there is some way to rehabilitate the land and ultimately replant the mangrove forests?

As I understand it - the shrimps produce the waste that kills off the land.

Shrimp waste kills off the land? Are you serious? It's much more likely to be the antibiotics chemicals and hormones added to the water that degrade the land. You don't 'kill land'.

Yes I am serious. I recall watching a documentary on it recently and the biggest culprit was what came out of the shrimp itself.

Shrimp excretion is high in ammonia, nitrite, urea, and uric acid. [/size]

You do kill land. Once you pollute it to the point where nothing grows, it is commonly called "dead land". Of course, an internet pedant might point out that soil does not breathe, grow, reproduce etc and can't be called living - but I think most people understand what is meant by killing off the land.[/size]

[jonclark]

With you on that one pedro. Not only is what comesout of the shrimp harmful, but what goes into the shrimp does harm on a far greater ecological scale:

http://www.theecologist.org/tv_and_radio/ecologist_film_unit/1625629/grinding_nemo_whats_the_real_cost_of_your_prawn_curry.html

[craigt3365]

Pedro is right. Here's a few good article to read:

http://worldwildlife.org/industries/farmed-shrimp

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/3728019.stm

Hard for Thailand to argue with tariffs considering what they impose on imports here. Wine, cars, electronics, etc.

[lungmi]

Most shrimps in Asian (Thai included) restaurants in France and Germany come from Vietnam.

[Thai at Heart]

anybody ever noticed the environmental damage shrimp farming does to Thailand, you can see abandoned shrimp farms along the coast, not a blade of grass grows near these farms.

Yes I noticed this on a trip down the SE coast, the sheer scale of the wasteland was incredible. I was wondering if the land is toxic because it was flooded with saltwater, or is it due to chemicals used? Surely there is some way to rehabilitate the land and ultimately replant the mangrove forests?

As I understand it - the shrimps produce the waste that kills off the land.

Shrimp waste kills off the land? Are you serious? It's much more likely to be the antibiotics chemicals and hormones added to the water that degrade the land. You don't 'kill land'. Really sloppy thinking.

Aren't those ponds salt water? Not conducive to grass

[Kilgore Trout]

And what is the duty on the cheese, wine, beer etc. I buy imported from New Zealand or elsewhere?

Higher than 20 percent I think. Practice what you preach, Thailand

[Crazy chef 1]

Whenever I need some medication I won't eat shrimps I visit a doctor. Thai shimps are far the worst I ever encountered,totally tasteless even the black tigers from the sea.just waste of money not worth to buy it here nor even in the EU.

[iancnx]

Agreed, I wish all countries everywhere slaps 100% tax on all Thai produce. That would be a wake up call !

[kimamey]

If Thailand's shrimp production has been cut in half, by about 250,000 tons then how does the loss of market of 10-30,000 tons matter?

Maybe that additional 13% duty is justified?

Thailand can still dump what I consider to be a dangerous product into the North American market, especially the Canadian market where there is little oversight over Thai shrimp imports.

As far as I can see it doesn't mention any reason for this move. Is it possibly because giving the reason would show it to be justified?

[kimamey]

Most shrimps in Asian (Thai included) restaurants in France and Germany come from Vietnam.

I seem to remember someone saying that many of the Thai restaurants in the US can't use Thai produce because it's banned for various reasons. Maybe someone else knows if this is true.

[simple1]

Most shrimps in Asian (Thai included) restaurants in France and Germany come from Vietnam.

I seem to remember someone saying that many of the Thai restaurants in the US can't use Thai produce because it's banned for various reasons. Maybe someone else knows if this is true.

Of the 182,371 mt of imported shrimp product from Thailand in 2008, over 60% were in the form of either frozen prepared or frozen peeled. Shelled products included all sizes, but were predominantly Small to Extra Large. Almost 90% of shrimp production in Thailand was farmed in 2007 and 2008. However, because imports of wild trawl-caught shrimp from Thailand are currently banned in the US, it is likely that virtually all of the shrimp products imported to the US from Thailand in recent years were farmed. Source:

http://www.seachoice.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/MBA_SeafoodWatch_ThaiFarmedShrimpReport.pdf

In the past Australia has also banned Thai prawns and there are ongoing concerns of the use of antibiotics/contaminates in Thai farmed prawns - a number of shipments have failed food safety tests.

[OzMick]

Yes I am serious. I recall watching a documentary on it recently and the biggest culprit was what came out of the shrimp itself.

Shrimp excretion is high in ammonia, nitrite, urea, and uric acid.

You do kill land. Once you pollute it to the point where nothing grows, it is commonly called "dead land". Of course, an internet pedant might point out that soil does not breathe, grow, reproduce etc and can't be called living - but I think most people understand what is meant by killing off the land.

Interesting that the chemicals you ascribe to shrimp excreta are elsewhere called fertilizer. In centuries past the method of rendering an enemies fields infertile was to sow them with salt, and I personal experience how long it takes planted grass to grow in soil dredged from a river delta.

[belg]

if the EU would know

that shrimp farms are at the edge of rice farms, with the run off of so many chemicals, pesticides, insecticides used that run into the shrimp production

maybe they could cut another xx % of imports

as thai food including rice, will be a hasard to consume, when "produced" in thailand

[slapout]

I understand that the result to the land is state similar to what we called alaki land. It can be due to the regular flow of contaminated water, either natural of man made. Irrigation of crops or flooding, for other commercial purposes over a long peroid, often results in this degrading of land..

The land can, over time and lots of expense be somewhat cleaned up but it is not easy nor always successful.

[pattayaorganic]

 

If Thailand's shrimp production has been cut in half, by about 250,000 tons then how does the loss of market of 10-30,000 tons matter?

Maybe that additional 13% duty is justified?

Thailand can still dump what I consider to be a dangerous product into the North American market, especially the Canadian market where there is little oversight over Thai shrimp imports.

 

GK, you have stepped on my feet before. You stop talking about things you are totally unqualified to talk about. The EU imported 50,000MT of shrimp from Thailand, or about 10% of the production. US and Japan are other major markets. Dangerous product? Give me a break. Most people don't know that Thailand is the safest major producer in the world for consistent quality product. Thailand hasn't had a shipment stopped due to contamination or banned chemicals in over 7 years while VN, Malaysia, Indonesia, India and all other major producer nations have. Hard for you to believe but there is no corruption in this area because it serves nobody.

[Suffinator]

Oh Boo Hoo ... the Thais screw foreign companies with massive import taxes. Tables are turning and it's about bloody time.

[Lancelot]

Hard for Thailand to argue with tariffs considering what they impose on imports here. Wine, cars, electronics, etc.

So True!

[enrico2]

I dont remember EU to be too concern about the health of their citizens, so I dont believed they are starting now to worry about that.

EU and Thailand officially started the negotiation of the Free Trade Agreement few months back, so I think this maybe a message from EU to Thailand to make sure they wont be too difficult to deal in the following months.

[Naam]

Yes I am serious. I recall watching a documentary on it recently and the biggest culprit was what came out of the shrimp itself.

Shrimp excretion is high in ammonia, nitrite, urea, and uric acid.

You do kill land. Once you pollute it to the point where nothing grows, it is commonly called "dead land". Of course, an internet pedant might point out that soil does not breathe, grow, reproduce etc and can't be called living - but I think most people understand what is meant by killing off the land.

Interesting that the chemicals you ascribe to shrimp excreta are elsewhere called fertilizer. In centuries past the method of rendering an enemies fields infertile was to sow them with salt, and I personal experience how long it takes planted grass to grow in soil dredged from a river delta.

BINGO!

[chris1101]

Thai shrimp industry has been severely hit by the infectious early mortality syndrome (EMS) - as mentioned in the opening post. I like Thai shrimps/prawns (call them what you will) which I buy from the market in Naklua, north Pattaya. Does this EMS mean I should no longer eat these items? I have never heard of EMS before.