Tiger shrimp exports shrink on global cues
The international market for black tiger shrimp is fast eroding with the cheaper vannamei shrimp from other Asian countries turning out to be a hot favourite among consumers in developed countries.
By S Sanandakumar, TNN |
KOCHI: The international market for black tiger shrimp, one of the main items in the Rs 8,300 crore seafood export basket of the country, is fast eroding with the cheaper vannamei shrimp from other Asian countries turning out to be a hot favourite among consumers in developed countries.
Exporters in India and Bangladesh, the two leading producers of black tiger shrimp, points out that the total retail market in the US has been completely captured by vannamei. The most important reason for this is the lower price of vannamei, exporters say.
Speaking to ET, Devi Seafood chairman P Brahmanandam said the competition from vannamei is becoming a serious problem. Black Tiger shrimp market is now restricted to the restaurant chains. The decline in demand for black tiger shrimp is also being felt in other major markets like Japan and EU.
With the shrimp diseases affecting the black tiger farms, the survival rate in most of the farms is around 40%. The price of this farmed variety is at least 15% higher than vannamei in the international market.
On the other hand, the survival rate of vannamei, which is being extensively farmed in countries like China, Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, is close to 95-98%. Thailand has been growing vannamei without any major disease problem for the last 4-5 years with the broodstock brought from Hawaii.
“The other advantage for the vannamei exporter is that the weight of the shrimp’s head is less in the case of vannamei,” said Mr Brahmandam. Higher body weight would get the sellers a better price for their product.
In India, the government has so far not permitted the farming of vannamei on a commercial basis. Two experimental farms have been allowed to function in Andhra Pradesh. “It is high time that the government permitted commercial production of vannamei,” says Mr Brahmanandam. Otherwise, the exporters would be losing their markets in almost all developed regions in the world, he points out.
Exporters in India and Bangladesh, the two leading producers of black tiger shrimp, points out that the total retail market in the US has been completely captured by vannamei. The most important reason for this is the lower price of vannamei, exporters say.
Speaking to ET, Devi Seafood chairman P Brahmanandam said the competition from vannamei is becoming a serious problem. Black Tiger shrimp market is now restricted to the restaurant chains. The decline in demand for black tiger shrimp is also being felt in other major markets like Japan and EU.
With the shrimp diseases affecting the black tiger farms, the survival rate in most of the farms is around 40%. The price of this farmed variety is at least 15% higher than vannamei in the international market.
On the other hand, the survival rate of vannamei, which is being extensively farmed in countries like China, Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, is close to 95-98%. Thailand has been growing vannamei without any major disease problem for the last 4-5 years with the broodstock brought from Hawaii.
“The other advantage for the vannamei exporter is that the weight of the shrimp’s head is less in the case of vannamei,” said Mr Brahmandam. Higher body weight would get the sellers a better price for their product.
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In India, the government has so far not permitted the farming of vannamei on a commercial basis. Two experimental farms have been allowed to function in Andhra Pradesh. “It is high time that the government permitted commercial production of vannamei,” says Mr Brahmanandam. Otherwise, the exporters would be losing their markets in almost all developed regions in the world, he points out.
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