One of China’s largest food conglomerates is ramping up its aquaculture activities with a particular focus on breeding crustaceans for the domestic market.
State-owned Shanghai Bright Foods, through its subsidiary Shanghai Guangming Te Zhong Shui Chan (Aquaculture) Ltd., has launched what the firm terms “state-of-the-art” sheds for vannemei shrimp production and is currently in trials with its first crop of freshwater river crabs.
During a recent visit to the subsidiary, the group’s vice-chairman, Zhang Han Qiang, praised what were described in a company statement as “temperature adjustment” polythene-covered sheds for shrimp production. The site also uses “informatization” in increasing shrimp output, according to the statement.
Demand for crustaceans, including river crabs and shrimp, has been growing in China. A successful entry of Shanghai Bright into the crustacean space would prove a big vote of confidence in the sector and could bring large amounts of capital as well as cutting-edge technology to play.
Shanghai Bright is better known as one of China’s leading dairy and food processing firms, but the firm has also built up a portfolio of international acquisitions including the purchase of the renowned British cereal maker Weetabix.
