November 26, 2003

 

 

Pakistan Shrimp Exporters Suffer As Buyers Prefer Aqua-Cultured Shrimps

 

Seafood exporters in Pakistan experience negative response for the last six months from the major shrimp importers as they have been preferring aqua-cultured shrimps for import instead of sea-caught what they say are better in quality, exporters say.

 

The seafood exporters are getting fresh orders for other seafood, but the shrimps orders are not being registered at such pace as it was recorded in the past.

 

"Our buyers told us that they are preferring farm-grown shrimp. They are quality conscious and there is no doubt that shrimp farming has really enhanced the product quality," said an exporter Syed Akhlaq Hussain of Akhlaq Enterprises.

 

"For the last many months we have not received any order for our white shrimps, which now lying in our stock," he added.

 

He said since Pakistan was far behind in shrimp farming and promoting aqua-culture, other seafood exporting countries were taking full advantage of the situation and added: "This situation has compelled us to cut the prices. We have registered almost 80% fall."

 

The country registered 35% rise in fish and preparation exports during July-October 2003 followed by 28% increase in October 2003 dominated by products other than shrimps.

 

"The export rose due to better fish landing. Cuttle fish was the major specie among other exported products," said Abrar Ahmed of Seagreen Enterprises.

 

He said there was a major difference during the last six months and suggested the government should come up with strong measures to promote aqua-culture.

 

"India, Indonesia, China, Malaysia, Taiwan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, The Philippines, Vietnam, Australia and Myanmar (Burma) have shrimp farms, and there are also shrimp farms throughout Central and South America," he added.

 

He informed many countries in the Middle East had shrimp farms, with Iran apparently the leading producer in the region.

 

Modern shrimp farming, the production of marine shrimp in impoundments, ponds, raceways and tanks, got started in the early 1970s, and currently over fifty countries have shrimp farms.

 

Shrimp farms use a one-phase or two-phase production cycle. With the two-phase cycle, they stock juvenile shrimp in nursery ponds and then, several weeks later, transfer them to growout ponds.

 

With the one-phase cycle, the nursery ponds are eliminated, and the shrimp are stocked directly into growout ponds, after having spent a short period in an acclimation tank.

 

The exporters say they have approached the authorities concerned but currently the matter has not been taken seriously.

 

"We asked both at the provincial and federal levels but they don¡¯t pay heed. The government should take it seriously otherwise I fear we would lose our shrimp markets," said Sardar Hanif Khan, President Pakistan Seafood Industries Association. He suggested the government could provide infrastructure and basic facilities to motivate private sector.

 

Pakistan exported US$138 million of seafood during the last financial year. The country exported 11,204 tons ($21.5 million) of fish in October 2003, up by 3.75% in quantity (10,799 tons) and 1.56% in value ($21 million) during September 2003.

 

In October, exports stood at 9,701 tons, fetching $17 million, thus showing a rise of 15 and 28% in quantity and value respectively, showed figures of Federal Bureau of Statistics (FBS) issued recently.