Crustaceans

Lower prices helped shrimp consumption in USA

Industry estimates indicate that the global 2015 farmed shrimp production totalled 2 million tonnes with lower production in China, India, Ecuador, Indonesia and Viet Nam compared with 2014. Farmers used conservative approaches in pond stocking as a result of falling market prices through the third quarter of 2015.

In China, the largest producing country, disease occurrence was reported, impacting supplies. In India, heavy rainfalls and floods significantly affected production in the last two months of 2015 in Andhra Pradesh, the main farming region of the country. As a result, the overall growth rate in India for 2015 is estimated be 10-15% compared with 22% growth in 2014. During the 2014-15 fiscal year (April-March), Indian farmers produced 433 448 tonnes, of which 82% was vannamei shrimp. This makes India the second largest producer of farmed shrimp after China. In Thailand, the farming situation has improved in 2015 with production estimated to be between 240 000-250 000 tonnes, still far below the record levels recorded some years ago. Within Latin America, Ecuador remained the largest producer of farmed shrimp in 2015, at 320 000 tonnes.