September 21, 2010
Mexican state shows sharp increase in shrimp prices
The price of shrimp farmed in the state of Sinalo rose by 100% between 2005 and 2010, rising from MXN32,000 (US$2,496) to MXN65,000 (US$ 5,071) per tonne, said Carlos UrÃas Espinoza, president of the Board for the Health of Aquaculture in the State (Cesasin).
The official linked the record increase in the price of local shrimp with the recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, and the emergence of a new disease in Asia: the infectious myonecrosis virus (IMNV).
UrÃas Espinoza stressed that it is essential to start implementing sanitary barriers to prevent the entry of the virus into the country, because otherwise it would be catastrophic for the national aquaculture sector.
He noted that the rise in prices has given Mexican aquaculture a break, as in recent years they had been adversely affected by diseases such as white spot and the taura syndrome.
In addition, in 2009, the aquaculture industry in Sinaloa faced market saturation and uncontrolled importation of foreign shrimp.
When asked about the suspension of shipping of domestic shrimp to the US, Uriah Espinoza clarified that the measure will not affect the exportation of fish harvested in farms of Sinaloa.
"Neither the coastal fisheries or aquaculture farms will be affected by the measure. The suspension only affects wild shrimp which are caught at sea," he explained.
Countries that benefited most from the embargo imposed by the US government to Mexico were Thailand and Ecuador.
In the first seven months of this year, Thai shrimp imports amounted to US$392 million and imports from Ecuador totalled US$244 million, reported El Economista.
