The Philippines is now following a different path from its neighbors and is finding both the cultivation of Penaeus monodon and Penaeus vannamei as necessary for the development of its shrimp industry. Because of its archipelagic nature, the country has the highest power and transport cost in Asia. Consequently, its production cost for shrimps is also the highest. The strategy that is now working for the Philippines is to produce the P. vannamei for the domestic market, and the bigger native P. monodon for the export market.
It is estimated that in 2010, white shrimp farmers supplied the local market at least 10,000 mt of shrimps with demand continuing to grow. Philippine black tiger shrimp on the other hand is increasingly becoming a high value export niche for the country as neighboring countries in Southeast Asia are finding it more and more difficult to grow.
Scientific advances in grow-out and hatchery technology is regaining investor confidence in the shrimp farming. With over 160,000 hectares of brackishwater farms in the country, the economic potential of the shrimp industry, as a source of export revenue, and as a platform for rural aquaculture development is tremendous.
The 8th Philippine Shrimp Congress with the theme “Proven Technologies and Promising Innovations” is organized and sponsored by: DA-BFAR Central Office, BFAR VI, DOST Region VI, Negros Prawn Producers Marketing Cooperative Inc, SEAFDEC, UPV-CFOS. It will take place on May 9-12, 2012 at La Planta Hotel, Bacolod City. This biannual event, in partnership with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources will feature technology successes and new developments on P. monodon and P. vannamei culture from around the region. The congress will also highlight marketing and value adding opportunities. Additional topics of interest for this year’s congress as requested by Philshrimp members are crop insurance and financing.
This 3-day congress will be attended by local and foreign experts and is estimated to attract 400 industry leaders and practitioners engaged in grow-out farming, hatchery operations, feed milling, processing/exporting, and input supplies.
For further information, please contact: The Secretariat. The 8th Philippine Shrimp Congress, at: +63344332131 or +639209084620
