by FoodBizDaily.com staff writer Bangkok
December 10 2009 - Thailand’s shrimp industry is doing well despite the global economic crisis. Exports are expected to reach $3 billion by the end of this year.
The Thai Shrimp Association reported that the country’s shrimp export value for the first 10 months of 2009 is $2.3 billion, an 8% increase over the same period last year. Exports have shown significant growth in all markets, including the American market, where Thai shrimp is currently subject to anti-dumping penalties.
The surge in Thai exports is partially due to a sharp drop in exports out of Indonesia, now encountering a disease outbreak. In fact, Indonesian production is only 180,000 tonnes this year compared to 230,000 tonnes last year.
Thailand’s shrimp production is projected to reach as much as 540,000 tonnes this year with an export value estimated at $3 billion. (Last year’s was $2.5 billion.)
Next year's export amount will rely on several factors: foreign exchange, climate, the world's economy, oil prices and Jakarta's handling of the disease outbreak in its local shrimp industry.
The Thai Shrimp Association has called on the government to quarantine low-quality or unsafe imported shrimp once AFTA is implemented in January of 2010.