The Philippines is in a position to become a major producer and exporter of shrimp in Southeast Asia, the chair of the Philippine Senate committee on agriculture said on Wednesday, November 11, during the opening of the 10th National Shrimp Congress in General Santos City on Mindanao island.

 

Senator Cynthia Villar, who keynoted the three-day congress, said the Philippines targets to produce 130,000 metric tonnes of white shrimp, or more than double its total shrimp production last year, according to news website rappler.com.

 

Noting that demand from the US and Japan continues to grow, the lady senator said intensive white shrimp production has barely scratched the surface of its potential as a top dollar earner.

 

She claimed thatlarge producers in General Santos City-which is also known as the Tuna Capital of the Philippines-and nearby Sarangani province are already in the position to compete with major shrimp producers in the region, Thailand and Vietnam.

 

These includeAlson Aqua, Sarangani Agricultural Co., San Andres Aquacultrue Corp. and RD Corp. which, she said,produced almost all of Central Mindanao's estimated 20,000 metric tonnes of white shrimp output in 2014.

US$50-million value

 

According to Philippine Shrimp Congress president Roberto Gatuslao,the value of Philippine shrimp production has remained flat at US$50 million (P2.35 billion).

 

At the same time, he said the Philippines has maintained itsdisease-free advantage over other shrimp-producing countries in the Southeast Asian region, which have been hit, although they're on the road to recovery, by early mortality syndrome, or EMS.

 

Villar urged local producers to invest more in shrimp production.

 

Villaralso took the opportunity to divulge plans for the Philippine government to set up hatchery plants in each of the country's coastal regions to help boost production.

 

The projects would be funded and run by local government units with initial funding coming from the national government, she added.-Rick Alberto