BACOLOD City – The 14th Philippine Shrimp Congress kicked off at the SMX Convention Center here with a focus on the promising export potential of the industry.
This three-day event, running until Sept. 22, is a biennial affair and carries the theme, “The Philippine Shrimp Industry: Adapting to the Regional Open Market.”
In 2022, local demand for shrimp and prawns reached 82,008 metric tons, accounting for 96 percent of total production, as per the Philippine Statistics Authority records. The remaining four percent, equivalent to 3,467 metric tons, was exported.
Global shrimp production, as reported by the Food and Agriculture Organization in 2019, reached 6.41 million tons, with China leading as the top producer, contributing approximately 30 percent. The Philippines held the 8th position globally and the 4th position in Southeast Asia.
The Philippines primarily cultivates two main shrimp species: Penaeus monodon, known as the giant black tiger shrimp or sugpo, and Penaeus vannamei, commonly referred to as the Pacific white shrimp or suati. In 2020, the total production of sugpo and suati reached 64,578 metric tons, with 92 percent consumed domestically and 8 percent exported.
The event organizers expressed optimism about the growth potential of the aquaculture and fisheries sectors, particularly for small-scale shrimp producers. They highlighted the importance of continued government efforts, particularly by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), to support fish farmers. This includes measures such as disease and water quality monitoring to prevent potential economic losses.
Atty. Demosthenes Escoto, director of BFAR, shared his aspirations for the Philippines to become a global leader in shrimp production in the coming years. He emphasized the significance of developing shrimp as a major commodity and positioning Philippine shrimp competitively in the global market.
Shrimp ranked fourth among the major fisheries export commodities in the same year, following tuna (P24.6 billion), seaweeds (P12.9 billion), and crabs (P5.1 billion). The 14th Philippine Shrimp Congress serves as a platform to explore strategies and opportunities to further enhance the country’s shrimp industry and its contributions to the economy./PN
