At the end of July 2018, the shrimp export numbers for 2017-2018 (the Bangladeshi fiscal year runs from 1 July to 30 June) were presented by the export promotion bureau (EPB). The export earnings from shrimp were USD 408 million (EUR 362 million), which was 8.37-percent lower than in 2017. The total volume of exported shrimp was 36,167 metric tons, nine percent lower than the 2016-2017 fiscal year.
The effects of this overall decline seem to be countered by the growing domestic consumption as a result of increasing incomes and purchasing power. Altogether, prices of larger shrimp have remained stable, while prices of smaller-sized shrimp have dropped. However, prices on the overall are lower than previous years – as predicted by the exporters before the season started. Bangladesh may find itself having to adapt to these current lower price levels.
