Success Stories In Asian Aquaculture - Library - Network of ...

76 H. Kongkeo and F.B. Davyby increasing the number of crops, for example, to 3/year. When P. vannameiculture expanded into coastal areas beginning in 2003, production increasedsharply. Prawn size and farm gate price also increased up to 20–30 g and US$3.0–4.0/kg, respectively, because saline water prolongs the culture period to3.5–4.5 months.Similar to P. monodon , an outbreak of Taura syndrome virus in P. vannameibegan in 2004, but it did not lower the overall annual production (Fig. 4.3 ) aslocally produced SPF PLs were commonly used for stocking. Government and theThai Shrimp Farmers Association also promoted domestic consumption (as nowmore than 30% of total production) to avoid export price drops, which resultedfrom oversupply.Thailand has been able to keep its position as a world leader in shrimp exportssince 1988 (FAO Fishstat) due to its constant supply of raw material and efficientprocessing facilities. In order to expand export volume, the exporters had to reducethe shrimp price as much as possible to compete with other producers. Loweringthe selling price also resulted in drawing in more customers in both export anddomestic markets. Fortunately Thai shrimp farmers were able to reduce productioncosts by using small-scale operations and shifting to low cost species like P. vannamei,while maintaining high standards and quality of their products. Sharpincreases in the volume of shrimp exports during 2002–2007 were mainly causedby reductions in shrimp price to increase shrimp consumption (Fig. 4.4 ). This trendExport Volume400350300250200150100500Volume (x thousand t)price (US$/kg)value (x thousand mil. US$)14.012.010.08.06.04.02.00.019911992Export Value (total/per kg)199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007Fig. 4.4 Thai shrimp export volume, value and FOB price (Royal Thai Department of Customs)