Thailand's shrimp exports will probably post no growth next year due to sluggish global demand, especially in Europe and the US, according to Somsak Paneetatyasai, president of the Thai Shrimp Association.
Export volume, which has declined 10% this year, is expected to remain at 350,000 tons next year. Overall shrimp production is projected at 540,000 tonnes this year, also down 10% from 600,000 tons in 2011, due to mortality syndrome and white spot syndrome.
In the first 10 months of this year, Thailand's shrimp export volume totalled 285,000 tonnes, down 12.31%, for a value of 79.13 billion baht, down 12.67%. Somsak said export value would remain unchanged at 100 billion baht for the entire year. Price trends in 2013 will be about the same as this year, he added 140 baht for shrimp sizes of 70 units per kilogram.
Somsak said the association was urging the government to accelerate negotiations with the US government to solve export obstacles including anti-dumping measures. "We want the US government to exempt the existing anti-dumping duty of 1.38%," he added. But the industry has a public relations problem; a Public Broadcasting System documentary this year claimed Thailand was using child migrants in factories.
