Thai shrimp exports are forecast to increase by 10 to 15 percent next year as the country continues to recover from the early mortality syndrome (EMS) disease outbreak that devastated production.
According to Somsak Paneetatyasai, president of the Thai Shrimp Association, the majority of Thailand’s shrimp producers have now learned how to prevent the disease and the industry therefore has high hopes for increased production and good prices in 2017.
The association has forecast Thailand will export around 200,000 metric tons (MT) of shrimp this year, up 25 percent compared with 2015. In value terms, these exports will be worth THB 60 billion (USD 1.7 billion, EUR 1.6 billion), which would be 23 percent more than last year.
In the first 10 months of this year, Thailand exported 160,935 MT of shrimp worth THB 54.5 billion (USD 1.5 billion, EUR 1.4 billion), up 25.9 percent and 23.1 percent respectively.
Thailand is projected to produce 300,000 MT of shrimp this year, up 15 percent compared to 2015, and then reach 350,000 MT in 2017, which would be the highest level in four years.
EMS was first detected at a shrimp farm in China in 2009 and spread to Thailand in 2012. Prior to its arrival, Thailand was producing between 500,000 and 600,000 MT of shrimp annually.
Somsak anticipates strong global demand for shrimp in 2017 and the U.S. market to continue to account for 40 percent of Thai shrimp exports, Japan to account for up to 30 percent and China for 10 percent.
