Thailand to import 10,500 tonnes of shrimp as domestic yield sinks

The board has targeted domestic production of 320,000 tonnes of white shrimp this year, rising to 400,000 tonnes next year.

The board would also help sea shrimp farmers in 35 provinces increase quality and quantity of their produce by offering mobile clinics and hotlines to counsel farmers about shrimp diseases. Outbreaks would be dealt with quickly by the mobile clinics, the fisheries chief added.

This year, Thailand has produced 138,733 tonnes of shrimp up to the end of July – 129,100 tonnes of Pacific white shrimp and 9,632 tonnes of black tiger prawns, Chalermchai said.

Panisuan Chamnarnwej, president of the Thai Frozen Foods Association, said importing shrimp was necessary to save the frozen food industry because domestic production has almost halved from 500,000 tonnes per year to 270,000 tonnes per year.

He said his association members…