Thailand is expected to export USD 3.55 billion (EUR 2.46 billion) worth of seafood in 2010, which would be up 2.2 percent from 2009, the Thai Frozen Food Association (TFFA) reported this week.
Shrimp is anticipated to represent up to 65 percent of the country’s total seafood exports, or USD 2.3 billion (EUR 1.6 billion), said the TFFA.
Despite the difficult economic climate, Thailand’s shrimp exports should reach 362,000 metric tons worth USD 2.3 billion (EUR 1.6 billion) this year, while its seafood exports should total 882,600 metric tons worth USD 3.47 billion (EUR 2.41 billion).
TFFA President Panisuan Jamnarnwej told the Bangkok Post he’s optimistic about next year but is concerned about Thailand complying with the European Union’s new catch-certificate requirement. As of 1 January, seafood exports to the EU must be accompanied by catch certificates verifying the product was legally harvested.
“Generally, the Thai fishery is a small-scale business and it is quite hard for fishermen to prepare paper documents as required by the EU,” he said.
However, the catch-certificate requirement will have little to no impact on Thailand’s shrimp exports, since nearly 90 percent of the country’s shrimp production, which should total 520,000 metric tons in 2009, is farmed.
