Thai shrimp farmers have appealed to the Commerce Ministry for help in light of decimated crops resulting from outbreaks of early mortality syndrome (EMS) in shrimp ponds across the country.Thailand's shrimp exports for the first quarter fell by a full 20-30%, or 20 billion baht ($667.7 million) to 30 billion baht ($1 billion), as a result of both the stronger national currency and the spread of the EMS, said Thai Frozen Food Association Chairman Pote Aramwattananond. Meanwhile, the country's shrimp supply plummeted by nearly half, to 57,000 tons from from the average 100,000.
Members of the TFFA met with Commerce Minister Boonsong Teriyapirom and asked him for financial aid and low-interest loans for shrimp farmers, especially for those whose farms have been afflicted the worst by EMS -- a disease otherwise known as acute hepatopancreatic necrosis syndrome, which causes mass mortality during the first 20-30 days of culture in shrimp ponds.
Without assistance from the government, the shrimp farming industry may produce less than 60,000 tons of shrimp this second quarter -- and the year’s total output may not reach 400,000 tons. "Shrimp production is expected to drop this year from the normal 500,000 tonnes valued at 80 billion baht ($2.7 billion) to less than 400,000 tons. The impact of the disease is worse than previously thought, while the baht's strength has also seriously hurt exporters," Aramwattananond added.
