Shrimp Farming in Madagascar
Shrimp News Interviews Gaston Razafindramboa

Shrimp News: I met Gaston Razafindramboa, a shrimp farming consultant from Madagascar, at Granvil Treece's 21st Texas A&M Shrimp Farming Short Course (Port Aransas, Texas, USA, September 2006) but never got a chance to interview him, so I emailed him a list of questions, which he answers below.

Gaston, what's your background and how did you get started in shrimp farming?

Gaston Razafindramboa: My background is in computers, engineering and geographic information systems (GIS). From 1991 to 1999, I worked on wildlife and biodiversity projects that utilized GIS and computer aided design. In 1999, I started working for shrimp farms, doing site selection, mapping, pond design and pond engineering. Since then, I've gotten involved in computerized data management for shrimp farms, setting up systems to record water quality parameters, pond biomass and feed conversion ratios. I've also set up systems for budgeting, finance and project costing and handled the logistics of shrimp farm operations.

Shrimp News: What's the current status of shrimp farming in Madagascar?

Gaston Razafindramboa: In 2006, Madagascar probably produced around 8,000 metric tons of farmed shrimp. With 37 sites available for shrimp farming, production could easily grow to more than 40,000 tons.

Shrimp News: Are all the shrimp farms semi-intensive?

Gaston Razafindramboa: Yes, all the farms are semi-intensive and produce from 3.5 to 4.5 metric tons per hectare per year. Some of the farms are increasing stocking densities and attempting to produce up to 8 tm/ha/yr with aeration and high quality feeds.

Shrimp News: Is Penaeus monodon the only species farmed in Madagascar?

Gaston Razafindramboa: Yes, on the big farms, but some small farms raise P. indicus.

Shrimp News: Do any of the farms rely on wild broodstock or wild postlarvae?

Gaston Razafindramboa: Yes, wild broodstock, but not wild postlarvae.

Shrimp News: Are there any small (less than five hectares) farms?

Gaston Razafindramboa: There are some small farms that make their own customized feeds.

Shrimp News: Who owns the farms? Foreign investors? Local investors?

Gaston Razafindramboa: Local investors.

Shrimp News: Are most of the farms on the west coast?

Gaston Razafindramboa: Yes.

Shrimp News: What about diseases?

Gaston Razafindramboa: No diseases have been reported, and there are no published reports of shrimp diseases in Madagascar. All large farms are members of GAPCM, an organization that is in charge of the disease and epidemiology control.

Shrimp News: Where do the farms get their feeds?

Gaston Razafindramboa: From Taiwan, the Republic of Mauritius (an island nation off the coast of Africa in the southwest Indian Ocean, about 900 kilometers east of Madagascar) and the Republic of Seychelles (an island nation in the Indian Ocean, due north of Madagascar). Local feeds are available, but only used by small farms.

Shrimp News: Do all the large farms have their own hatcheries, or do some of the farms get their seedstock from other farms.

Gaston Razafindramboa: Most have their own hatcheries. Some farms sell seedstock to other farms.

Shrimp News: Are there any independent hatcheries that are not associated with farms? Do any of the hatcheries sell seedstock or broodstock outside of Madagascar?

Gaston Razafindramboa: Hatcheries are mostly associated with farms. No one sells seedstock or broodstock outside of Madagascar

Shrimp News: Are any of the farms using aeration equipment? Where do they get it?

Gaston Razafindramboa: Some semi-intensive farms use aerators from Europe and the USA.

Shrimp News: Where does Madagascar market its shrimp? What are the products?

Gaston Razafindramboa: Europe, Japan and other countries. Products include whole frozen animals, frozen tails and IQF products (frozen steam-cooked, and frozen peeled).

Shrimp News: Do any of the farms use probiotics?

Gaston Razafindramboa: Farmers know about probiotics, but are not using them yet.

Shrimp News: What are your plans for the future?

Gaston Razafindramboa: I plan to pursue a career in aquaculture, as manager or owner of a farm. I am looking for a job overseas and I would like to work on an intensive or semi-intensive shrimp farm in the Western Hemisphere.

Information: Gaston Razafindramboa, c/o LGA (OSO Farming), 2, Rue Lavigerie, Diego Suarez, 201 Madagascar (email gastonrazafy@yahoo.com).

Source: Gaston Razafindramboa. Email interview by Bob Rosenberry, Shrimp News International. November 2006.

Country Reports

Indonesia
CP to Invest $155 Million Through 2009

PT Central Proteinaprima (CP Prima, the Indonesian shrimp farming unit of Thailand's Charoen Pokphand Group) is set to expand its business with an investment of $155 million through 2009. Part of the funds will come from CP Prima's recent initial public offering, which raised around $36 million. The funds will be used to build new shrimp farms, expand the feed mill and build infrastructure.

Source: Seafood.com (an online, subscription-based, fisheries news service). Indonesian shrimp producer CP Prima plans $155 million investment in expansion. Ken Coons. Editor and Publisher, John Sackton (phone 781-861-1441, email jsackton@seafood.com). November 29, 2006.


Iran
Shrimp Rejected by Spain

A consignment of around 6,000 tons of Iranian farmed shrimp has been stopped at a Spanish port because it was "contaminated with an authorized amount of a medicine that is used in shrimp farming." [I think the writer meant to say "unauthorized" amount of....]

Source: MEHRNEWS.com. Economic news in brief/Shrimp exports to Spain to resume soon (http://www.mehrnews.ir/en/NewsDetail.aspx?NewsID=414237). November 29, 2006.


Mexico
Sonora--Low Prices Threaten Industry

Miguel Angel Castro Cossio, president of the State Aquaculture Association of Sonora, warned that the state's shrimp farming industry might lose more than $60 million in 2006. The oversupply of shrimp in international markets has caused prices to drop below historic records in Mexico, which according to Castro Cossio, will cut the industry's revenues in half. Many farms are on the verge of going out of business. Many of them experienced big losses to whitespot in 2005.

Whitespot was not a problem in 2006 and production rose to more than 30 thousand metric tons in Sonora.

Sources: Seafood.com (an online, subscription-based, fisheries news service). Mexican shrimp farmers suffer bad year due to low prices, says Sonora Aquaculture Association [translated by Angel Rubio]. Editor and Publisher, John Sackton (phone 781-861-1441, email jsackton@seafood.com). November 29, 2006.


United States
Massachusetts--Aqua Bounty

On November 28, 2006, Aqua Bounty Technologies, Inc., a biotechnology company with products that enhance production on fish and shrimp farms, announced some new developments for its key product, Shrimp IMS (a feed additive that protects shrimp from diseases, an immunostimulant).

Aqua Bounty has been granted approval to begin large-scale testing of Shrimp IMS in Vietnam.

Aqua Bounty continues to make substantial progress in securing regulatory approval for Shrimp IMS in Asia and Latin America. Certificates of Exportability issued by the FDA, which confirm that the product is compliant with all USA regulations and can be exported from the USA, have been submitted to fourteen countries including China, Thailand and Indonesia. Aqua Bounty expects to add several new distributors over the coming months. Before Shrimp IMS can be put on the market, trials must be conducted to demonstrate its effectiveness and to secure regulatory approval. Currently, fifteen trials are under way in Latin America, with Asian trials scheduled to begin shortly.

The commercial effectiveness of Shrimp IMS has been proven in Mexico and Ecuador, as well as in numerous lab and field trials. Results, on average, have shown a 30% increase in the survival rates of IMS-treated shrimp compared to untreated shrimp and a return of investment of up to $2.5 for every dollar spent on the product by the shrimp farmers. Aqua Bounty is confident that regulatory approval will be granted in the majority of locations in the first half of 2007.

In 2007, Aqua Bounty plans to launch VPX, an effective preventative control against the lethal and widespread whitespot virus.

Aqua Bounty, headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts, USA, operates principally through two wholly owned subsidiaries, Aqua Bounty Canada, in St. John's, Newfoundland, and Aqua Bounty Pacific, in San Diego, California.

Information: Alexandra Walton, Account Executive, Bell Pottinger Corporate and Financial, 6th Floor, Holborn Gate 330 High Holborn, London WC1V 7QD, United Kingdom (phone 44-(0)20-7861-3868, fax 44 -(0)20-7861-3993, email awalton@bell-pottinger.co.uk, website www.bpcf.co.uk).

Source: Email From: Awalton@bell-pottinger.co.uk. Subject: Aqua Bounty--commercial and regulatory update. November 27, 2006.


United States
New Jersey--Epicore's First Quarter Results

Epicore BioNetworks, Inc., a public corporation registered in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, supplies probiotics and hatchery feeds to shrimp farmers worldwide. Its shares are listed on the TSX Venture Exchange in Toronto under the symbol EBN. In its first quarter report for fiscal year 2007 (covering the company's business during July, August and September 2006), Epicore reported:

Sales grew substantially when compared to the same quarter last year ($587,000 versus $270,300) and profits followed ($422,700 versus $180,300). Expenses at $332,200 were 15.1% above the same quarter last year. Epicore recorded net income of $93,600 versus a net loss of $105,700 last year. Net income per share for the current quarter was $0.004 versus a loss of $0.004 last year. Sales increased $0.32 million over last year, one of the best gains in Epicore's history.

Sales for the quarter reflected the company's commitment to aquaculture and its strong position in the world shrimp farming market. All sectors showed growth, with large increases in Latin America and Asia. Ecuadorian sales grew spectacularly. Ecuador now accounts for over half of Epicore's sales. Sales in the rest of Latin America also grew. Brazil returned to the buying fold. In Central America our shrimp maturation feed is a big success. It allows producers to lower dependence on fresh diet while lowering costs and increasing productivity. Asian sales grew dramatically in quarter one as our Indonesian distributor began to reap the results of several years of market planning. Indonesia adds another southern hemisphere market to our portfolio and will help lessen seasonal variations in our sales pattern. In India, our longest standing distributor continues to grow his business with Epicore products. Asian sales have benefited from a dedicated technical effort. The region produces 80% of the world's farmed shrimp and our sales continue to grow there.

Information: William Long, Chief Executive Officer, Epicore BioNetworks, Inc., 4 Lina Lane, East Hampton, NJ 08060 USA (phone 609-267-9118, fax 609-267-9336, email epicore@gbsias.com, webpage www.epicorebionet.com).

Source: CNW Group. Epicore 2007 First Quarter Results for the period ended 30 September 2006 (http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/November2006/30/c2636.html). November 30, 2006.


United States
Texas--Probiotics

Is it legal to use probiotics on fish and shrimp farms in Texas? Are there any limitations or regulations?

Source: AquaNic (The Aquaculture Network Information Center, a gateway to the world's electronic aquaculture resources, http://aquanic.org/index.htm). Shrimp Discussion Group (http://www.aquanic.org/discuss/shrimp.htm). The use of Probiotics in USA Texas (http://www.aquanic.org/discuss/_shrimp/00001025.htm). From: tjandrasukendro@yahoo.com. November 28, 2006.


Yemen
First Shrimp Farm

Ecomars of Germany has announced that it will open a $20 million, recirculating farm on the Gulf of Aden capable of producing 500 tons of fish/prawn/shrimp a year.

Source: YemenTimes.com. Business in Brief/First Fish Farm in Yemen (http://yementimes.com/article.shtml?i=1003&p=business&a=3). Yemen Times Staff. November 30, 2006.

Click here for previous Free News reports in 2006