Thai shrimp exports on road to recovery

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Shrimp exports on road to recovery
PETCHANET PRATRUANGKRAI
THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- SHRIMP FARMERS envision brighter prospects for their industry and exports next year as production recovers from disease and many target markets recover from economic slowdowns.

"With stringent control of disease and innovation in shrimp hatcheries, output should increase next year. Shrimp production should be back to normal by the second quarter. Shrimp exports should also rise, thanks to more supply and stronger demand from importing countries including the US, EU and Japan," Somsak Praneetatyasai, president of the Thai Shrimp Association, said yesterday.

The association forecasts total domestic production expanding by 20 per cent to 300,000-320,000 tonnes next year after this year's output plunged by 54 per cent to only 250,000 tonnes due to the spread of early mortality syndrome in shrimp hatcheries.

The association projects exports jumping by 20 per cent to 240,000 tonnes worth Bt70 billion next year.

In the first 10 months of this year, shrimp exports plummeted by 38.4 per cent in volume to 175, 713 tonnes, and by 28.89 per cent in value to Bt56.27 billion, as supply was severely crimped. It is estimated that shrimp exports would reach 200,000 tonnes by the end of this year.

The value of shrimp exports has not dropped a much as volume because the price of shrimp has zoomed up following lower supply in the world market, which is mainly provided by Thailand.

Despite the outbreak, shrimp farmers have not yet totally turned their backs to the industry as the shrimp price has climbed up sharply this year.

About 50-70 shrimp hatcheries have suspended operations, but farmers still maintained some hatcheries to raise shrimp due to the higher return.

For instance, the price of a kilogram of 70 shrimp is quoted at Bt270 this year, compared with last year's less than Bt180-Bt190 a kilo.

Due to lower shrimp production, Thailand this year lost its title as the world's largest exporter to India and Ecuador. However, with the strict measures to restore shrimp hatcheries, Thailand should become the world champion again in two years.

Shrimp farmers nationwide have learned to develop their shrimp raising, starting from the nursery, to be bio-secure, as well as to increase efficiency in farming management to prevent disease.

However, the national association and regional shrimp producers associations are worried about the Fishery Department's plan to import shrimp from Indonesia and India to offset lower domestic supply, as that could introduce new diseases.

The association has already sent a letter to the department asking it to limit the period for shrimp imports, which is set at a maximum of 20,000 a month.

It said that if there is any allowance for shrimp imports, the government should ensure sanitary standards.

The import of shrimp should be only for three months from January-March, as domestic output is expected to improve in April.

Banjonk Nissapawanich, president of the Shrimp Farmers of the East Association, said farmers in the region were small producers and accounted for 30 per cent of total production in the country.

The outbreak this year has caused problems for farmers, but with the higher price, the industry was not seriously damaged.


-- The Nation 2013-12-19

[ezzra]

Don't know about 'recovery' but shrimps priced has gone up nearly 40-50% in the

last few months here in the community's fresh markets, and that should be a good

indications that the article above lack creditability...

[noitom]

We'd like to see a video showing a modern shrimp farm in Thailand and it's safety and disease precautions. It would be useful to reinstate confidence in Thai shrimp process from farmer to shipper. This type of video is used by leading food providers all over the world.

[LuckyLew]

Yummy .... Thai shrimp and Thai rice ... what a yummy meal

[jaidam]

2 sides to every coin. Happy shrimp farmers = total destruction of the last few areas of mangrove forest. Just as bad is the increased demand for feed pellets for the shrimp farms which means increased trawling pressure in the Gulf and the Andaman to supply protein for the pellets. Farming vannamei should be banned, there are better alternatives.

[theslime]

Shrimp recovering and food exports to the EU hanging by a thread.

[David48]

We'd like to see a video showing a modern shrimp farm in Thailand and it's safety and disease precautions. It would be useful to reinstate confidence in Thai shrimp process from farmer to shipper. This type of video is used by leading food providers all over the world.

More then happy to oblige. But do understand that we cater for the local market.

Not many Prawns in this harvest, but it was the third morning in a row we had set the nets.

Indeed, you can read all about the Fish and Prawn/Shimp Farm where I live when I'm in Thailand.

prawn-harvesting-01 ... indeed there is a whole series you can view there from the Hatchery through to the final product.

Some myths to dispel ...

Farmers have to use extensive antibiotics to keep the intensive Farming of Shrimps/Prawns viable and to stop them all dying. Absolute BS. Given the cost structure of farming, there is no way a Farmer can get a return on the harvest if he has to pump the chemicals into the pond.

The prawn, by it's nature is a bottom dweller but if sick, it naturally comes to the surface and the birds sense this, dive the pond and remove the sick prawn.

@ jaidam total destruction of the last few areas of mangrove forest ... again, not true. Given that mangroves are typically in a tidal part of the ocean/land interface ... the storm surges and natural tidal variation would preclude that. A Farmer is not going to build a pond that gets washed out several times a year, losing his stock in the process.

What you do see there though are the Salt evaporation ponds ... Salt Farms

@ LuckyLew Yummy .... Thai shrimp. If there is a presumption that the catch is not fresh. We are up at dawn, gather in the catch, ice them directly at the Farm, within an hour, they are transported to Wholesaler for sorting into grades, re-iced and the Market folk come directly to the wholesaler.

There wouldn't be more then 10 Food miles from Farm Gate to retail point of sale ... so different from in the West.

Instead of making uninformed comment, I warmly recommend that you drop by the Farming Forum, have a read of what actually goes into the production.

.

[mike2011]

2david48

Thanks to your post I am just dreaming that the shrimp farms some 30 kms from here are built into the mangroves area and right on the sea. I also viewed a German documentary on their international channel about shrimp farming in Thailand making such baseless claims as hurting the mangroves. It was probably the TV crew who had destroyed the plants and put in a fake farm well in advance of their trip to Thailand. Ahh, yes, you are right - past European Union bans on Thai shrimp and health warnings were also dreamed up.

David I thank you for setting the record straight- about yourself not the industry.

[David48]

^^ I can only tell it as I experience it.

This is my experience.

When I'm in Thailand, I live the life everyday.

My experience is what happens in my local area, I can't vouch for the entire Aquaculture Industry.

Cheers

[brianP]

I live here in shrimpville, and they are mostly up and running. The disease that kills the shrimps pancreas and liver was traced from China and is in check for now. The shrimp farms run the gamut of mud holes to lined modern tanks.

White shrimp are my favorite.

[noikrit]

Give me a Prawn / Shrimp from the ocean anyday! Never did like the taste of the farmed varieties ......... Personal Taste folks ...

[David48]

Give me a Prawn / Shrimp from the ocean anyday! Never did like the taste of the farmed varieties ......... Personal Taste folks ...

I can understand that reasoning and taste wise ... you're probably correct.

That said, there are different varieties available.

Farmed Prawns

The smaller one are the standard white Shrimp.

The blue ones ...

If you can afford 'Ocean Catch' ... great

[tomross46]

The exports will not increase until the FDA of EU, Japan, and USA approve the product and the process. For some reason the FDA do not trust documentation from exporters.

[David48]

The exports will not increase until the FDA of EU, Japan, and USA approve the product and the process. For some reason the FDA do not trust documentation from exporters.

Fair enough comment but ...

The FDA* won't increase the import allowance? ... or won't raise the existing import quota?

Subtle, but important difference.

Say, for example, the FDA allowed a million tonnes of Shrimp import from Thailand, but, due to the recent issues of the industry, Thailand was only supplying 1/2 million tonnes.

Without having to approve an increase, Thailand could easily go back to supplying their previous quota without disturbing the FDA for an additional allowance.

BTW ... the FDA is a USA body ... what relevance is it to either the EU or Japan?

Tom, I have no inside knowledge of the FDA, but if you do and could shed some light, I'd be the richer for that.

*FDA - Food and Drug Administration.

[bigbamboo]

That's great news...... but don't tell Thaksin.

[hughben]

I steer clear from farmed fish (feeding fish corn for example is not natural). And I wouldn't eat farmed shrimp.

In fact I stopped eating shrimp due to the "bycatch" issue. I don't want to add to the problem of endangered animals like some species of sea turtles being killed.