April 16, 2007

Fledgling shrimp farms in Kentucky struggle to find a market

In Kentucky, a state known more for growing tobacco, a small smattering of farmers are blazing the trail and engaging in aquaculture.

In 2004, the US Congress bought over lands traditionally used for growing tobacco. The buyout initiated interest in shrimp growing among farmers who used to grow tobacco crops.

Now, about 125 Kentucky farmers raise fish or prawns, according to the Kentucky Department of Agriculture.

Although the state has a stable supply of groundwater which is suitable for use in shrimp farms and hatcheries, formidable costs make profits hard to come by.

Moreover, most consumers in the state still remain partial to land-based agric-products. 

Cheaper Asian shrimp imports also present a challenge: Asian shrimps arrive in the US market processed, deveined and with heads removed at costs cheaper than what US shrimp producers take just to grow the shrimp.

As a result, Kentucky shrimpers are targeting niche markets: ethnic Asians who like live seafood, high-end consumers willing to pay more for fresh prawns, and zoos and aquariums.