Normally, September marks the arrival on the market of India’s second crop of the year.
However, due to the low market prices in the second quarter of 2018, farmers have delayed their stocking. They started restocking their ponds only since the end of august, encouraged by recovered prices and the support of the local government. Farmers are expected to culture their shrimp for at least 70 days (targeting 70-80 count per kg). The second crop will be harvested, at least partially, from early November onwards. Depending on farming conditions, farmers may continue to grow the remainder of their shrimp to larger sizes and harvest these only in December. With market demand for Christmas season peaking from September until October, raw material prices are likely to remain high at least until November, when Indian exporters expect the next crop to arrive on the market. It remains to be seen whether in November the market is ready to absorb the new crop without letting prices drop once more.
