August 20, 2007

Shrimp farmers in Thailand urged to grow bigger shrimp for Asian markets

Thailand's Fisheries Department is suggesting that shrimp farmers switch to premium sizes to avoid falling prices for smaller prawns and so that farmers would find a bigger market in Japan.

Larger prawns could find markets in high purchasing-power countries such as Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong, Deputy director-general Niwat Sutheemeechaikul said.

Thailand's industry has so far been focusing on vannamei shrimp, which are small and medium-size species favoured only in the US market.

Thailand is aiming to increase large shrimp production to 30,000 tonnes, so that it would account for 5-7 percent of the total per year.