European Shrimp Market Report

The First Nine Months of 2007

During January-September 2007, combined shrimp imports into the USA, Japan and the European Union decreased slightly compared to the same period in 2006.  Within this group, the European Union was not only the largest market (439,000 metric tons), but also the only market that expanded, and all European markets, except for the United Kingdom, continued to grow.  The European shrimp market was largely influenced by the USA market, where key exporting countries—Thailand, India, Ecuador—encountered a weak dollar, a slowing economy and dumping duties, so they turned to Europe where shrimp markets offer better returns.

The Importers

Spain: For the first nine months of 2007, Spain’s shrimp imports continued to expand, reaching a record high of 122,000 metric tons, although the value dropped by 10%.  Shrimp products entered the Spanish market at an average unit value of $7.12 a kilo, a drop of $1.17 cents on the average value over the past five years.  Argentina reclaimed its top position as the number one supplier to Spain.  China, the former top supplier, also increased its exports to Spain slightly, to 19,210 tons.  Ecuador continued to increase its exports to Spain, showing a 9% increase over 2006 figures.

France: For the first nine months of 2007, French shrimp imports continued to increase in volume—at a 4% growth rate compared to the same period in 2006—but decreased in value with a 3% drop compared to 2006.  Total shrimp imports for all categories combined amounted to 74,790 tons.  The average value on the French market was $7.31 a kilo, the lowest level in the past six years, due to low shrimp prices everywhere in the world.  Brazil and Ecuador continued to share the lead in the French market, with 15% and 14% market shares, respectively.  Brazil experienced a 20% decrease on 2006 figures, whereas Ecuador registered a 40% increase.

The average unit value of Penaeus vannamei from Brazil was $4.54 a kilo, making them more competitive than products from Ecuador, which were $5.39 a kilo.

India, the third largest supplier to France, increased the volume of its exports by 15%, followed by Madagascar, which experienced a decrease of 4%.  The French market for coldwater shrimp was on a downward trend.  All major supplying countries saw the volume of their exports decrease significantly compared to 2006: Netherlands (-11%), Belgium (-9%) and Denmark (-21%).

United Kingdom: For the first nine months of 2007, the UK continued to register a decline in its shrimp imports, down 3% in volume and 5% in value.  Imports of raw frozen products at 29,550 tons were stable and accounted for almost 48% of total imports.  In the processed category, imports decreased by 6% to 31,200 tons.  Processed products in the UK are mainly coldwater shrimp, and the drop in supply in this category was mainly due to lower availability from key exporters.  Iceland the number one exporter to the UK with almost 20% market share (11,590 tons) saw its exports drop by 9%.  Denmark, which holds the third rank among UK shrimp suppliers, followed the same trend with a 13% decrease, so did Canada with a 10% decrease and Norway with a drastic 40% decrease.

Coldwater shrimp accounted for 45% of the UK’s total shrimp imports, a 16% drop on 2006 figures.

Among warmwater shrimp exporters, India, the number two supplier to the UK, saw its exports drop from 8,400 tons in 2006 to 7,500 tons in 2007, a decline of 10%.  Indonesia was able to benefit from this situation and increased its exports to the UK by 20%.  The most striking phenomenon, however, was the boom in Thai shrimp exports to the UK.  Volumes doubled compared to the first nine months of 2006.

Italy: Like most European countries, Italy’s shrimp imports increased during the third quarter of 2007, by 3%, but the value dropped by 10%.  Total shrimp imports amounted to 50,243 tons with Ecuadorian products accounting for 30% of the total, but this was down 1% in volume and 17% in value.  Argentina clearly regained ground on the Italian market, thanks to the doubling of exports of wild-caught, red shrimp (Pleoticus muelleri).

Germany: Shrimp imports continued to expand at a soaring rate, up 31% compared to 2006, and prices remained stable.  With an 18% market share (6,340 tons), Thailand was the top supplier to Germany during the first nine months of 2007, with India in second position.  Thailand tripled its shrimp exports to Germany in one year, but the value per kilo dropped from $9.57 a kilo in 2006 to $8.78 a kilo in 2007.  Despite the predominance of Thailand, India increased exports by 26%.  All exporting countries increased their exports to Germany.  The Netherlands (mainly a re-exporter of processed products) increased shipments to Germany by 13% and Vietnam increased exports by 10%.

The Exporters

Ecuador: Ecuador consolidated its number one position in Italy by registering a 40% increase in France and a 9% increase in Spain.

Indonesia: Indonesia expanded its exports to the EU market, particularly to the UK.

China: China continued to gain market share in Spain.

Thailand: Thailand became the top supplier to Germany, tripling its exports in one year, while doubling its exports to the United Kingdom.

Argentina: Argentina, thanks to very good landings of Pleoticus muelleri during the first three quarters of 2007, expanded sales on the Spanish market, where it reclaimed its position as Spain’s number one supplier.  It also doubled its exports to Italy.

India: The giant tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon), the most popular farmed species in India, is becoming less popular in some world markets and has difficulties competing with the less expensive western white shrimp (Penaeus vannamei), produced in most Asian countries.  Despite this gloomy situation, India increased its exports to France by 15%.

Brazil: Brazil’s exports to France dropped by 20% during the January-September 2007 period compared to 2006.  Brazil has been overtaken by Ecuador as top supplier to France.  On the Spanish market, Brazil represented only 4% of total imports, a major change from its position as the leading exporter a few years ago.

Source: GlobeFish (from the Food and Agriculture Organization on the United Nations).  Shrimp Market Report/Europe (http://www.globefish.org/index.php?id=4404).  Karine Boisset.  February 2008.

Country Reports

Australia

Shrimp Prices May Double

The Australian Seafood Importers Association says the price of raw shrimp could more than double before Easter.  Association chairman Harry Peter says there’s been a 70 percent drop in imports since the government implemented new regulations that restrict raw shrimp imports.

Peter says: “Once the present stock of imported shrimp is exhausted, and I believe that will happen before Easter, you will see prices rise by as much as 150 percent.  So if you were previously paying $18.55 [a kilo], you’ll be paying between $46.37 and $55.65 for Australian product.  ...That’s if you can get it.”

Source: ABC.net.  Prawn prices under pressure (http://www.abc.net.au/rural/news/content/200803/s2178064.htm).  March 3, 2008.

Australia

Not Whitespot, Not Shrimp

White tail disease, a nodavirus, has been discovered in freshwater prawns (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) at a research facility in Queensland.  Tests (reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction, RT-PCR) done at the Australian Animal Health Laboratory showed that wild broodstock (from the Flinders River in northern Queensland) and F1 juveniles produced from those broodstock were infected, making this the first reported occurrence of white tail disease in Australia.

Source: Office Internationale des Épizooties (Paris, France, oie-info-web@oie.int).  Subject: AUS 29-02-08 OIE Alert Message.  From: Mr. J. Gardner Murray (Delegate to OIE and President of the OIE Regional Commission for Asia, the Far East and Oceania, Office of the Chief Veterinary Officer, Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Canberra, Australia).  February 29, 2008.

Greenland

Coldwater Shrimp Fisheries Getting Certified

The West Greenland coldwater shrimp fishery (Pandalus borealis), dominated by Royal Greenland,the world’s largest supplier of coldwater shrimp, has entered the Marine Stewardship Council’s certification process, the fourth coldwater shrimp fishery to do so.

On February 27, 2008, Jens K. Lyberth from the Greenland Employers’ Association, the body coordinating the MSC process on behalf of Royal Greenland, said: “The market wants to see proof of sustainable management.  Our fishery considers the MSC label a credible way of meeting this requirement and a helpful tool in securing a future for its business.”

Rupert Howes, Chief Executive of the MSC, adds: “Fishing and the seafood industry is of huge cultural and economic significance to Greenland, and the MSC is delighted that the West Greenland shrimp fishery has decided to enter full assessment.  Global demand for independently assessed and labeled seafood continues to grow exponentially, and we very much hope that this will create a range of new market opportunities for the West Greenland shrimp fishery as it progresses through the assessment process.”

The West Greenland fishery comprises an inshore and an offshore fleet of 35 trawlers, plus 12 factory vessels.  The total allowable catch for both West and East Greenland is 139,700 tons, with over 90% of the catch coming from West Greenland.

In Eastern Canada, both the Gulf of St. Lawrence shrimp fishery and the Newfoundland shrimp fishery are well along in the MSC certification process and expect to be certified soon.

The first coldwater shrimp fishery certified by MSC was the Oregon (USA) pink shrimp (P. borealis) fishery.

Source: Seafood.com (an online, subscription-based, fisheries news service).  Greenland coldwater shrimp fishery enters MSC certification process–4th prawn fishery to do so.  Editor and Publisher, John Sackton (phone 781-861-1441, email jsackton@seafood.com).  February 28, 2008.

India

Dumping Tariffs Reduced

The preliminary results of the Department of Commerce second administrative review of shrimp tariffs are trickling out, and the result appears to be another massive round of cuts.

Based on the preliminary review, the tariff on shrimp exports from India will be cut from 7.22% to 1.09%.  The two mandatory respondents, Devi Seafoods and Falcon, both had substantial reductions.  Devi’s tariff went from 4.38% to 0.70%, and Falcon’s from 4.03% to 1.69%.

If the preliminary results are upheld, 71 Indian companies will be eligible for the new rate.  Many companies will have zero tariffs, as happened with Ecuador.  This does not even account for the WTO ruling that the DOC must eliminate 100% customs bonds for Indian exporters and not use its infamous zeroing methodology.

Source: Seafood.com (an online, subscription-based, fisheries news service).  Editor and Publisher, John Sackton (phone 781-861-1441, email jsackton@seafood.com).  Massive preliminary cuts on shrimp duties to zero for many companies in Vietnam, India.  March 3, 2008.

Malaysia

Effluents and Disease Management

In August 2005, a Department of Fisheries report on shrimp farming in Sabah, East Malaysia, showed that there were 21 active farms on Sabah’s west coast.  The Department collected information on ten of the farms.

The size of the farms varied from 7 acres to 100 acres.  Generally, most farm managers were aware of the importance of environmental issues and disease prevention.  All farms claimed to have stocked postlarvae that tested negative for whitespot.  In terms of disease experience, four farms had been hit by whitespot, one farm experienced Vibrio diseases and six farms had not experienced any disease problems.

Questions and observations regarding disease management were focused on how farm managers treated wastewater, sludge and dead shrimp from diseased ponds.  Regardless of their experience with disease, all farm managers reported that dead shrimp of commercial value were sold and smaller shrimps were disposed of on site.  Direct disposal of dead or diseased shrimp is not a good practice because it can spread disease to other crustaceans and neighboring farms.  Technical site observations revealed that such practices were common among shrimp farmers.

Some farmers released wastewater without treatment, while others discharged it into nearby mangroves and estuaries.  One farm had tilapia and milkfish in a settlement pond as biological filters, and two farms kept discharge water in settlement ponds for some time before releasing it to the open water.  Farm managers understand the importance of water quality, certified disease-free postlarvae, seed selection techniques, vitamins, probiotics and good feeds.

Six of the ten farms surveyed were neighbors and shared the same water source.  Interviews indicated that not all managers informed their neighbors when faced with disease problems.  This practice could have negative impacts on the ecosystem and the shared water source.  Not informing the authorities and nearby shrimp farms could give shrimp farming an irresponsible and generally bad reputation and contribute to self-pollution that escalates disease problems.

The use of dogs for security was common at all shrimp farms.  Dogs were observed wandering freely around the shrimp ponds and workers quarters.  Dogs could be disease carriers, particularly when they wander from one shrimp farm to another.  Visitors and vehicles that enter the farms were not subjected to sanitary measures, indicating naiveté about biosecurity and disease management.

Only four farm managers were reported to have obtained formal training in disease management.  Two of them attended training conducted by Malaysia’s Department of Fisheries and the other two attended training organized by Charoen Pokphand, a huge shrimp farming company in Thailand.  Other farm managers reported that they gained knowledge through their experiences working on shrimp farms.  Farm managers are very concerned about diseases and voiced an interest in attending courses on shrimp health management, but there is a shortage of local experts and qualified personnel to do the training.

Source: Aquaculture Asia.  Editor, Simon Wilkinson.  Effluent and disease management in traditional practices of shrimp farming: A case study on the west coast of Sabah, Malaysia.  Norasma Dacho (norasmadacho©gmall.com) and Saleem Mustafa (Borneo Marine Research Institute, University Malaysia Sabah, 88999 Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia).  Volume 13, Number 1, Page 21, January-March 2008.

New Zealand

Blogger Takes Prawn Farm Tour

It was a gorgeous sunny day as we headed south on Highway Five out of Rotorua, with our next stop at the Huka Prawn Farm [tours, prawn fishing and restaurant].

Yeah, we know what you’re thinking whoo-hoo, prawns [Macrobrachium rosenbergii]...we did too.  We thought we’d be out in 30 minutes easy, but it was something to do and was in fact the prawn fishing capital of the world.  We pay the entrance fee.  On the tour, we are led into the nursery where they hatch over a million baby prawns at a time, four times a year.  Next, we went through the hatchery where the baby prawns grow up a bit and got to hand-feed some babies.  It was a weird sensation having a dozen little prawns crawling on your hands because all you can feel is their little legs scratching on your skin.

After that, the fun really started!  Hook-a-Prawn fishing!  Loads of fun!  We got bamboo poles, ice buckets and plastic cups of diced up ox heart (for bait) and set off to the ponds.  The trick to prawn fishing is patience.  What you do is drop in your line and wait for the prawns to get hold of it.  After that, you’ll see your line start walking off as the prawn looks for a suitable spot to eat, so you have to follow along with the pole.  Once he stops, you must continue to wait, then, as he finishes up, he’ll walk away only to find that he’s now tethered to the line by the hook.  He’ll give a couple tugs on the line, and you just lift him up out of the water.

I expected to be spending about 30 minutes at this place, but three and a half hours later, they had to close the ponds on us for the day.  Fortunately we had already caught seven prawns.  We took them to the on-site restaurant, where they were cooked for free.  They were very tasty.

Source: Adventures (“An Account of the Travels and Adventures of Kathy Fry and Lee Kuivila”).  Good morning Rotorua (http://kathyandlee.blogspot.com/2008/02/rotorua-taupo.html).  February 27, 2008.

Philippines

Bloggers Visit Shrimp Farm

Loloy and Angie Unchuan have a shrimp farm on Mactan Island, an island that lies a few kilometers to the southeast of Cebu Island.  Several years ago we were invited to one of their shrimp harvests.  It was an interesting experience, always held at night, under a full moon.  As an added attraction, all the fresh shrimp you could eat were served from a grill.  These were giant tiger shrimp, four-to-six-inches long, and as meaty as a chicken leg.  Loloy...confided they weren’t raising shrimp right now because the quality of the fry had deteriorated to where it was hard or impossible to make a profit.

Source: Paddle with Hoz.  The Marco Polo Buffet (http://hoz49.wordpress.com/2008/03/03/the-marco-polo-buffet/).  March 3, 2008.

Thailand

History and Small-Scale Hatcheries

In the 1972, Penaeus merguiensis, P. semisulcatus, P. latisulcatus, Metapenaeus monoceros and M. intermedius postlarvae were tested at private shrimp farms in Samutsakorn and Samutprakarn provinces, but none of them appeared to be good candidates for shrimp farming.

Then, in 1973, the Phuket Coastal Fisheries Research and Development Centre (formerly the Phuket Marine Fisheries Station) successfully bred Penaeus monodon from broodstock caught in the Andaman Sea.  Postlarvae of the early batches were stocked in semi-intensive ponds in Bangkrachai, Chantaburi Province; Klongdaan, Samutprakarn Province; and Klongsahakorn, Samutsakorn Province.  This freed the farmers from reliance on wild postlarvae and eventually led to the production of 304,988 metric tons of farmed tiger shrimp in 2000.

Today, there are more than 2,000 small-scale hatcheries in Chachoengsao, Chonburi and Phuket provinces that produce more than 80 billion (90% of the industry’s total production) marine shrimp postlarvae per year.  The small-scale hatcheries have survived many crises over the last two decades.  Now they have to compete with large-scale hatcheries that have advanced technologies and produce specific pathogen free and disease free postlarvae.  To cover their high investment costs, the large-scale hatcheries are under pressure to increase their margins by selling postlarvae directly to growout farms instead of selling nauplii to backyard hatcheries as they had formerly done.

Traceability and certification are problems for small backyard hatcheries because they purchase nauplii from suppliers that mix together nauplii from several sources.

Source: Aquaculture Asia.  Editor, Simon Wilkinson.  The successful development of backyard hatcheries for crustaceans in Thailand.  Hassanai Kongkeo, Michael B. New and Naruepon Sukumasavin.  Volume 13, Number 1, Page 8, January-March 2008.

United States

Arkansas—Brave New Shrimp

Peter Brave, who operated Brave New Shrimp in Wilmot, Arkansas, for three years, had to get out of the business “because it cost more to grow them than to sell them.”  In 2004, Brave’s company harvested 50,000 pounds of shrimp.  “But after three years, we just couldn’t make the connection,” says Brave.

Source: SeaFood Business (www.seafoodbusiness.com).  Editor, Fiona Robinson (frobinson@divcom.com).  Growing Pains.  Joanne Friedrick.  Volume 27, Number 3, Page 44, March 2008.

United States

California—Henry Branstetter (1914–2008)

Henry Branstetter, former President of Ocean Garden Products, Inc., and one of the pioneers of the USA shrimp industry, died on Sunday, March 2, 2008, in Wilmington, North Carolina.  He was 94.

Born in Indianapolis in 1914, Henry was valedictorian of his high school class, received a full scholarship at DePauw University, where he was an honors student, and an MBA from Stanford University Business School in 1939.  He was a lifetime member of the Stanford University Business School Alumni Association.

Henry worked for Lockheed Aircraft Corporation in Burbank, California, until he joined the Navy in 1943.  During the war, he was a lieutenant in the USA Navy Corps in Philadelphia, where his primary responsibility was maintaining spare parts for naval aircraft during the war.

His first introduction to frozen foods was with John Ingles in Modesto, California, in 1946.  From there, he went to Wilbur-Ellis in San Francisco, the nation’s leading seafood importer at that time.  In 1950, he married Frances Wayland and became father to her two children, Suzanne and Ernie.  In that same year, the family moved to New York, and Henry became the seafood division manager for Wilbur-Ellis New York .  The family lived in Bronxville, New York, for the next seven years.

In 1957, Henry was recruited by the Crest Importing Company in San Diego, California, the county’s largest importer of frozen shrimp, and rose to the position of Vice President of Sales and Marketing.

In 1964, he was hired by Ocean Garden Products, Inc., San Diego, California, as President and CEO.  Over the next 14 years, Ocean Garden became one of the nation’s largest and most recognizable seafood companies, specializing in imported shrimp from Mexico.  He was instrumental in the merger of Crest Importing Company into Ocean Garden in 1975.  Henry retired from Ocean Garden in 1977.

After retirement, he formed the Cultured Seafood Institute, a public relations and consulting firm specializing in mariculture products.  Over the next 15 years, he traveled to over 40 countries, assisting producers in their efforts to market their products to the USA.  He wrote widely on shrimp issues, and for a time published a specialized shrimp marketing report.

Henry lived in La Jolla, California, for 50 years and was a member of Rotary International for 39 years.  He is survived by his stepdaughter, Suzanne Moss, and his stepson, Ernie Wayland, both of Wilmington, North Carolina.

Shrimp News: In the 1980s and 1990s, I had lunch with Henry every couple of years, most frequently at the La Valencia Hotel in La Jolla, California, overlooking the Pacific Ocean.  Henry was acutely interested in the development of world shrimp farming and exceptionally knowledgeable about the development of world shrimp markets during the second half of the 20th century, so we always had great discussions.  Charles Peckham, at the time the editor of the LMR Shrimp Market Report, joined us for many of the lunches.  Without apologies, the only thing we ever talked about was shrimp.  Henry always picked up the check.

After the last lunch, Henry invited me back to his apartment and gave me all the publications that he had purchased from me over a twenty-five year period, many of them filling gaps in my own collection!

Sources: 1. Seafood.com (an online, subscription-based, fisheries news service).  Henry Branstetter, a pioneer in the U.S. shrimp industry, dies at age 94.  Editor and Publisher, John Sackton (phone 781-861-1441, email jsackton@seafood.com).  March 4, 2008.  2. Bob Rosenberry, Shrimp News International, March 8, 2008.

United States

Hawaii-High Health Aquaculture

The following exchange took place on the Shrimp List:

Jim Wyban (jim.wyban@gmail.com): I am pleased to announce that High Health Aquaculture can supply Certified High Health Penaeus vannamei PL (postlarvae) produced in our JV hatchery in Phuket, Thailand.  Our JV hatchery exclusively uses GxTVR broodstock from HHA’s breeding facility in Kona Hawaii and follows strict biosecurity protocols to produce certified High Health PLs.  Each PL shipment includes a health certificate from the Thai Department of Fisheries.  We have negotiated excellent airfreight rates and can deliver up to 10 million PL per day throughout Asia (Malaysia, India, Indonesia, Vietnam) and the Middle East (Iran, Dubai).

Thai shrimp farmers using these PLs have seen very fast growth rates (> 0.2 grams per day) and high total production (to 30 metric tons per hectare) with very low risk of disease.

Eric Pinon (list@serviceaqua.com): Question: how is your High Health or SPF status certified?  What is the name of the organization that does the certification?

Jim Wyban (jim.wyban@gmail.com): Our broodstock are certified SPF by the State of Hawaii based on its well-established, PCR-based surveillance program.  Our PLs are certified high health by the Thai Department of Fisheries based on a similar PCR-based surveillance program.

Damerla Shrinivaas (dshrinivaas@yahoo.com): Mr. Wyban, do you supply high health, SPF, P. monodon broodstock or seed to India?

Jim Wyban (jim.wyban@gmail.com): Our Thai hatchery only supplies PLs of SPF GxTVR P. vannamei.  High Health Aquaculture can supply SPF P. monodon broodstock from our breeding center in Hawaii.  For details, contact me off list at the above email address.

Source: The Shrimp List (a mailing list for shrimp farmers).  Subject: SPF High Health PL.  February 29 to March 1, 2008.

United States

Massachusetts—Aqua Bounty Technologies

London...Thomson Financial News Limited reports: Aqua Bounty Technologies, Inc., a public biotechnology company focused on the development and marketing of health and therapeutic products for shrimp farming, warned that its 2007 loss will be greater than expected because sales were less than anticipated.

Aqua Bounty said its full-year loss would be no more than $7 million, compared to the $8.1 million loss in 2006.

The small number of countries that have approved “Shrimp IMS”, an emulsion-based delivery system that increases the immune response in shrimp, and the delay in the production of its AquAdvantage Viral Blocker (VpX) product will reduce expected revenues in 2008.  The commercial introduction date for VpX has been delayed due to difficulties in the manufacturing scale-up process.

Aqua Bounty said its financial position remains strong, with over $16 million in cash and investments.

Source: Forbes.com.  Aqua Bounty Technologies sees FY loss greater than co expectations (http://www.forbes.com/afxnewslimited/feeds/afx/2008/02/29/afx4713524.html).  Thomson Financial News (tsm/rfw/tsm/ra, tf.TFN-Europe_newsdesk@thomson.com).  February 29, 2008.

United States

Texas—Granvil Treece

USA shrimp farming is facing tough times as some farms exit a business known for tight margins and high start-up costs.  Granvil Treece, aquaculture specialist at Texas A&M University’s Sea Grant Program in College Station, Texas, notes that Texas, the largest USA producer of farm raised shrimp with about 70 percent of production, reached its peak in 2003 with 9 million pounds of Penaeus vannamei, or Western white shrimp.  The state’s shrimp production fell to five million pounds in 2006, says Treece, because some operations shut down, while others chose not to stock their ponds.  Prices for farmed shrimp hit bottom in 2004, and today farmers are only getting about $1.90 per pound.  Treece says economy of scale is important.  “You need to produce a million pounds or more [annually] or find some other niche.”

Treece notes that even with shrimp farms closing, cutting back or adding additional species to diversify, individuals remain interested in shrimp farming.  In September 2007, 22 people attended Treece’s shrimp farming course, and a few of them have already signed up for the 2008 course.

Information: Granvil Treece, Aquaculture Specialist, Texas A&M University, Sea Grant College Program, 2700 Earl Rudder Freeway South, Suite 1800, College Station, Texas 77845 USA (phone 979-845-7527, fax 979-845-7525, email g-treece@neo.tamu.edu, website http://texas-sea-grant.tamu.edu).

Source: SeaFood Business (www.seafoodbusiness.com).  Editor, Fiona Robinson (frobinson@divcom.com).  Growing Pains.  Joanne Friedrick.  Volume 27, Number 3, Page 44, March 2008.

United States

Virginia—Bill Martin, Blue Ridge Aquaculture

Bill Martin of Blue Ridge Aquaculture plans to farm shrimp on a large scale.  Martin, who has invested $3 million to build a 30,000-square-foot facility, says, “We can be competitive on price and we’ll be giving them a federally inspected product along the way.  It’s about safety and quality.  It’s not always about price.”  Martin acknowledges there should always be a place for small, regional growers, but “large scale is the way to do it.”  He says expansion at Blue Ridge “is inevitable and will drive costs down.”  Eventually, he says, the farm will produce a half-billion pounds of shrimp, and shrimp will become Blue Ridge’s major crop.

Source: SeaFood Business (www.seafoodbusiness.com).  Editor, Fiona Robinson (frobinson@divcom.com).  Growing Pains.  Joanne Friedrick.  Volume 27, Number 3, Page 44, March 2008.

Vietnam

Fimex VN

In April 2008, Sao Ta Food Joint Stock Co (Fimex VN) will sign a contract to rear shrimp with the Tan Tien Technology and Science Company, said Duong Ngoc Kim, general director of Fimex VN.

The companies will farm 160 hectares of shrimp in Bai Da Commune, Soc Trang Province, with certification from the Aquaculture Certification Council (USA).

Also in Soc Trang, in the An Nghiep Industrial Zone, Fimex VN has started the construction of a processing plant that will be able to handle between 5,000–10,000 tons of shrimp a year.

Source: Vietnam News Agency.  In Briefs/Sao Ta to sign shrimp breeding deal (http://vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn/showarticle.php?num=01ECO040308).  March 4, 2008.

Vietnam

Shrimp Farmers Compensated for Cold Weather Mortalities

On February 29, 2008, the Hanoi People’s Committee announced that it would compensate farmers who lost shrimp during the recent cold snap that began on January 14, 2008.  It was one of the longest cold snaps in many decades.  Shrimp farmers will get two cents for every shrimp that died.

Source: GROWfish (Gippsland Aquaculture Industry Network, Inc., http://www.growfish.com.au/default.asp).  GROWfish eNewsletter (subscribehtml@growfish.com.au).  Hanoi to pay farmers for cold weather damage (http://www.growfish.com.au/content.asp?contentid=11042).  Viet Chien.  March 1, 2008.

Vietnam

USA Cuts Tariff on 29 Companies

The USA Department of Commerce has agreed to cut the tariff on shrimp products from 29 Vietnamese companies to 0% after its second administration review, covering the period between February 1, 2006, and January 31, 2007.  This is a preliminary decision; the final decision will be announced in 120 days.  Currently, the average tariff rate on Vietnam’s products is 25.76%.  Here’s a list of the shrimp exporters that will benefit from the new tariff rates.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, shrimp processors in the Mekong Delta have been running at only 30% of capacity due to the serious shortage of black tiger shrimp.

Source: VietnamNetBridge.  US cuts shrimp tax to 0% on 29 Vietnamese companies (http://english.vietnamnet.vn/biz/2008/03/771514/).  Ha Yen.  March 3, 2008.

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