Despite earlier predictions that the COVID-19 pandemic would severely impact the shrimp supply chain into summer, many Southeast Asian countries have managed to weather the virus well enough that the impact will be relatively minor.
According to an expert on the shrimp supply chain in Southeast Asia, multiple countries in the region have had relatively little impact from the virus, and may be resuming normal shrimp production soon. Vietnam, in particular, has only had 288 cases as of 11 May – with zero deaths – and logistics issues in the country have been cleared up.
“Vietnam, they’re not going to be off at all, and they have a good chance of increasing this year,” the expert said, speaking on the condition of anonymity. “In Vietnam, there was somewhat of a lockdown on transportation, but that’s returned. Any logistics issues should basically be history at this point.”
Vietnam isn’t alone in the region as far as handling the COVID-19 outbreak well. Thailand, as well, has come out relatively well, with just over 3,000 cases as of 11 May.
“Thailand is maybe 20 percent under last year, but it’s not from the virus as much as it is from farmers reticent of stocking ponds with pricing issues,” the expert said. “Both Thailand and Vietnam have done a very good job of jumping on cases early and control.”
Indonesia has had a larger number of cases, with over 14,200 confirmed cases as of 11 May, and the country recently extended its lockdown to 22 May. However, the majority of those cases are not in areas of shrimp production, the expert said.
“I think it’s a similar situation, the shrimp are down in east Java and Sumatra, and you don’t have a large amount of issues there,” they said. “The farms are pretty much operating.”
Production in the entire region, the expert said, should remain relatively similar to the average year.
Chinese production, as well, should be relatively normal. Despite fears that virus loads may be rebounding, the expert said that farmers in the region are relatively unworried.
“That is an annual event, I don’t know why it got so much press this year, because it happens every year,” the expert said. “There really is no new disease in China, it’s just more of the same.”
Another expert on the South Asian shrimp industry said India has also been hit relatively lightly. The expert predicted imports into the U.S. will be low at the start of May due to transit times and the timing of the COVID-19 outbreak, but that an improvement would occur by June, with exports to picking back up for summer.
Photo courtesy of bunnavit pangsuk/Shutterstock
