Now, the shrimp sector is poised to make a comeback with intensive efforts being undertaken by both the government and private sector. The process might be in a long haul but stakeholders are keen on getting back on track – slowly but surely.

 

 

Data from the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS) show that tiger shrimp and prawn in 2009 reached 47,830tonnes, higher than the previous year's 45,342tonnes. BAS says the 5.49% increment was due to increased stocking density and area harvested, high survival rate as well as high demand and good prices in the market. The province of Zamboanga Sibugay produced 35.11% more this year because of the availability of quality post larvae and less incidence of flash floods. Similarly, harvests of tiger prawn in Zamboanga del Sur also grew by 13.60% on adequate supply of post larvae and proper maintenance of ponds. In Lanao del Norte, the 13.04% output gain was achieved since more operators ventured into prawn culture with the availability of inputs, usage of commercial feeds and the re-operational of idle ponds on heightened market demand.

 

BAS also reports that harvests of tiger prawn in Bulacan also grew by 4.94% on increased harvest area, excellent post larvae and bigger size harvests in the second quarter. Pampanga also registered an output increase of 4.93% since operators used supplemental feeds. The province also expanded its farming area due to the availability of quality larvae and early harvests were noted as operators wanted to take advantage of the demand and good price in the market during the Christmas holidays.

 

However, BAS reveals that some provinces have decreased production by 5.98% due to white spot syndrome infestation, overflow of ponds due to heavy rains and dikes that were under repair.

 

Despite struggles, experts say the sector's overall performance last year is a good sign that the industry is on its way to recovery.

 

Dealing with diseases - and the future

 

In a paper by Nerissa Salayo of the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Centre (SEAFDEC), the Philippine shrimp industry's peak production years were from 1989 to 1994. The country was the third largest shrimp exporter in the world when the disease crisis began in 1996. The luminous bacteria disease (luminous Vibrio) which caused the white spot virus syndrome and Taura virus started an epidemic of diseases that became a major concern among exporters. As the disease got worst and competition with other producer-exporters such as Thailand, Indonesia, India and Vietnam, Salayo said controlling and treating the disease did not help solve the problem. Based on studies, Salayo said the disease is a result of a combination of factors such as poor fry quality, unsuitable practices, clogged waterways, poor water quality due to pollution, poor engineering and poor site management. The biggest casualty of luminous Vibrio disease was the province of Negros Occidental – the country's major shrimp producer. Even though antibiotics were used in the feed and gave protection at one point, most farmers saw their shrimps die overnight.

 

The industry's struggle from the epidemic resulted to massive closure of farms and other countries' banning of Philippine shrimps. Although the disease plagued most of Southeast Asia, the Philippines was the only country that was unable to recover and for nearly ten years, the sector was seen to meet its demise.

 

But hope was again renewed in 2008 when the government decided to breed and import white shrimps in its goal to reclaim its status as one of the world's top exporters of shrimp.  Upon the recommendation of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), the Department of Agriculture began to import Pacific white shrimp (penaeus vannamei) in late 2007 as vannamei grows faster, requires less production inputs and has strong resistance to diseases. According to SEAFDEC Director Joebert Toledo, efficient white shrimp farming will help the industry achieve production volume of more than 100,000 tonnes in five years. In that way, the country will regain ground on its major markets like Japan, South Korea, US, Canada and Guam wherein 60% of the shrimp output goes to exports. Foreign purchases of local shrimp rake in US$100 million on an average and according to BFAR director Malcolm Sarmiento, this can increase as said they have already accredited 38 growout farms or 497 hectares of production for white shrimp farms. The agency also constructed laboratories and other facilities to effectively diagnose and treat diseases immediately to avoid epidemic.

 

BFAR has also prohibited the use of antibiotics and instead will use probiotics in treating diseases. This way, Sarmiento says this will have the distinct advantage of being recognised worldwide as the only-shrimp producing nation that shuns the use of antibiotics in control and prevention of shrimp maladies.

 

Another breakthrough is the development of a new treatment medicine by Filipino-owned drug company La Croesus Pharma Incorporated. Following a trial conducted at a shrimp farm in Bohol, the supplementation of feeds with Vitamin C plus Zinc –called Zincee – can treat and prevent viral diseases. The experiment revealed that 20-day old stock infected with white spot virus was able to survive to harvestable size after treatment with Zincee. The treatment also enables harvest on an average of four tonnes per half hectare pond with a high survival rate of 95%. The trials also showed that an average body weight per prawn was heavier at 30 grammes and the feed conversion ratio has improved at 1:1-4 during the 130-day culture.

 

Cognizant of its potentials, the government fortunately is all out in pouring efforts to rehabilitate the shrimp industry. Senator Edgardo Angara, who also chairs the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food vowed to intensify the research and development for shrimp sector. During the last Shrimp Congress held in Bacolod, Negros Occidental, Angara vowed to adopt technology-intensive practices and improve methodologies among the rural areas to produce competent technical power.

 

He also recommended four major solutions to achieve long-term viability and productivity for the sector: the need to tap existing pond resources, introduction of cost-effective and environment-friendly farming practices, adoption of a sound biosecurity programme and genetically improve shrimp species especially the tiger shrimp.