NationThailand-Aug 8
Thailand will import over 10,500 tons of sea shrimps this year to ease a shortage at processing plants. The move was announced on Monday at the first meeting of the shrimp board, chaired by Fisheries Department chief Chalermchai Suwannarak. The new board has 21 members representing the government as well as shrimp farmers and processors Chalermchai said the board’s main goal is to help farmers by stabilizing the price of Pacific white shrimp. But since domestic production cannot meet demand from processors for export, the board decided to allow 10,501 tons of shrimp to be imported from Ecuador and India this year, he added. About 42 tons of shrimp have been imported since the Fisheries Dept approved shipments on June 10. Chalermchai said the imports would not affect the price of Pacific white shrimp raised by Thai farmers but would only fill the gap in demand. The board has targeted domestic production of 320,000 tons of white shrimp this year, rising to 400,000 tons next year. The board would also help sea shrimp farmers in 35 provinces increase quality and quantity of their produce by offering mobile clinics and hotlines to counsel farmers about shrimp diseases. Thailand now has about 30,000 shrimp farms covering 600,000 rai of land, according to the Federation of Thai Aquaculture. However, it confirms that production has dropped to 250,000-350,000 tons per year due to persistent outbreaks of early mortality syndrome (EMS). Read more at: https://www.nationthailand.com/business/40018647
