January 15, 2007

 

Bullish year seen for Philippine shrimp industry

 

 

The shrimp industry in the country is expected to increase earnings to P6 billion or US$122.44 million in 2007 with the government's move of lifting the ban on the importation and culture of Pacific white shrimp or Peneaus vannamei.

 

Total income of the industry in 2006 was estimated at P4 billion (US$81.63 million).

 

The re-entry of vannamei shrimps in the country, through the signing of Fisheries Administrative Order 225 by Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap, aims to make shrimp more affordable for low income Filipinos with prices to go low from P200 (US$4.08) to P150 (US$3.06) a kilogramme in the local market.

 

The Department of Agriculture (DA) in 2001 banned Pacific white shrimps stocks into the country to protect the local sugpo or black tiger prawn from the dreaded Taura virus.

 

The lifting of the ban is part of department's rescuing the ailing shrimp industry and helping it regain in five years time the country's previous status as a global leader in the shrimp production.

 

The Philippines ranked third in the world but slid to 10th place in 2003 after being overtaken by the likes of Mexico, Brazil, Vietnam and Bangladesh.

 

Industry players are optimistic that Philippines would soon capture the No. 2 slot next only to global leader China after local growers would have retooled their farms and trained extensively on the production of the specie.

 

The Pacific white shrimp survives better in captivity and needs less of the high-protein diet required of the Peneaus monodon or "sugpo that is grown locally.

 

Aside from eyeing export markets such as the United States, Europe and Korea, the DA also plans to make the exotic commodity available to low income consumers in the "bagsakan" or community food terminals.

 

Yap said the Pacific white shrimp would lead to higher earnings for growers and exporters and the highly tolerant specie will be cultivated to some 5,130 hectares. a

 

Last year, the industry generated P3 billion (US$61.22 million) in exports and another P1 billion (US$20.40 million) in domestic sales.