Shrimp farmers urge action on disease crisis
The Thai Shrimp Association is calling on government agencies to help tackle shrimp diseases and lift exports.
Ekapoj Yodpinit, president of the association, and Thai shrimp farmer representatives met with government agencies including the Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry, the Commerce Ministry, and the Fisheries Department on Monday, requesting urgent measures to resolve problems plaguing the industry.
The group also urged the adoption of the 2026-2030 National Action Plan for Marine Shrimp Development as a national agenda item.
The Fisheries Department drafted this plan, which includes 11 strategic measures and 38 activities, with a proposed budget of 5.54 billion baht.
Mr Ekapoj said the plan addresses key challenges and should restore confidence across the industry. Once a vital agricultural sector, shrimp farmers recorded peak production of more than 640,000 tonnes in 2010, and generated over 110 billion baht in export value in 2011.
The sector generates income for more than 2 million people and sources about 80% of its inputs domestically, making Thai shrimp internationally recognised for quality and food safety, he noted.
However, since the outbreak of early mortality syndrome (EMS) in 2012, the industry has suffered severe declines, with annual production dropping to 270,000-280,000 tonnes, while the export value dipped to around 40 billion baht.
Thailand has lost about 750 billion baht in export opportunities over the past 13 years, while competitors such as Ecuador and India have expanded production and increased global market share, said Mr Ekapoj.
“Diseases such as white spot syndrome, EMS, white faeces syndrome and yellow head are the biggest challenges, driving up hidden costs and undermining Thailand’s competitiveness,” he said.
Lower shrimp production also affects cold storage and processing facilities, preventing them from operating at full capacity.
The association wants a knowledge hub established to enhance production capacity, targeting 400,000 tonnes of high-quality shrimp production, reducing costs and restoring competitiveness, Mr Ekapoj said.
The group has asked the government to address Malaysia’s suspension of Thai shrimp imports, strengthen domestic and international marketing, and introduce additional measures to reinforce the industry’s long-term sustainability and competitiveness.
Source – Bangkok News
