The Global Shrimp Market and How Shrimp Farms are Gaining in Numbers

Shrimp is one of the most popular and one of the most valued seafood selections in the world. The annual record for world production of farm culture shrimps and wild harvest amounted to approximately 3,000,000 metric tons with an estimated production value in excess of almost $12 billion. It is not one of the largest fisheries in the world but it is one of the most valuable because of its high demand on the industry.


In the United States, the 1999 imports from shrimp farms represents 18.8 percent of the total imports of the U.S. and almost 35 percent in total value. In other countries, shrimp farming gained more demand than wild shrimp farming.


Shrimp production continues to increase through aquaculture farm operations while most of the fisheries in the world are experiencing maximum sustainable production. Shrimp aquaculture continues to grow steadily even if the there are adverse conditions and new challenges that a lot of shrimp farmers experience. Way back in 1988, shrimps represented almost 40.6 percent of the total production of shrimps in the world and it increased to almost 49.4 percent in 1998.


Shrimp farms are continuously gaining in numbers worldwide. This is because the demand of shrimps is extremely high and the worldwide production today is not enough to cover all the demands of the consumers. A lot of people tend to enter this industry because they can see that they can really benefit in starting farms for shrimps. From 1988 to 1998 the production of shrimps greatly increased because people tried to make their own farms and export shrimps on the global market.


The shrimp industry is growing steadily and it is a good sign for the world shrimp supply. The demands of the consumers will be provided if it continues to rise. However, this industry is changing rapidly with expansion to other countries, increasing use of intensive farming and the use of formulated feeds or artificial feeds. Because of the continuous and increasing demand for shrimps, traditional food markets look for news sources and methods to provide the demand of the consumers. The continuous demand for shrimps will depend on the quality and safety of the product.


Shrimp farmers must be aware of the regulatory expectations in their countries where the shrimp that they raised will be sold and consumed. The demand of shrimps and the continuous consumption of consumers will depend on the quality and safety of these products.

Starting A Tilapia Farm - What Should You Know?

Thinking of starting a Tilapia farm? If you have decide to engage in Tilapia farming, then there are some important things that should be considered first.

 Location:

It is the first thing that you should think about you want to start a Tilapia farm. This decision will influence the profits and losses that you will be facing in the business of Tilapia farming. Factors like temperature, climate, access to water and laws of a country are influenced by the location you choose for Tilapia farming. In some countries you even need to take permission from the government before starting the farm. Along with location you must determine how many farms you want in your area.

Temperature of water:

You may face a problem regarding the temperature as Tilapias fish are seasonal. These fish can survive and breed only in warmer water. The ideal water temperature for a Tilapia farm is 82 - 86 degrees. Fish will start dying below 55 degrees and you will see a drop in growth rate. Temperature below this can have a bad impact on the breeding of Tilapia fish and it could cause your farming business to collapse. If you own a small farm then you can overcome this temperature problem by making use of a water heater. By using a water heater you can heat the water to the required temperature.

Managing the breeding:

Breeding can be a problem for you. You need to think how you will manage the breeding. Actually Tilapia fish start breeding three months before being big enough to eat. They have an extremely high breeding rate. An adult Tilapia female fish can produce up to 100 fry per week.Many breeders manage the breeding by making use of hormones to breed male Tilapia fish. This may be expensive for small scale farmers but they can also use other methods. One such method is building a breeding cage and keeping them overstocked with fish thereby reducing the breeding rate. These are the main factors that you need to think of when starting a Tilapia farm.

The Global Tilapia Market and How Tilapia Farms are Gaining in Numbers

Tilapia farming which originated in the Middle East and Africa has now become the most profitable business in most countries. Tilapia has become the second most popular seafood after crab due to which Tilapia farming is flourishing. It has entered the list of best selling species like shrimp and salmon.

 The largest producers of Tilapia are China. Other countries, namely Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines and Taiwan also supply maximum Tilapia in the global Tilapia market. There are many others countries like India and Iran that are contributing to the international Tilapia market.

The demand for Tilapia is increasing by leaps and bounds and farming Tilapia is one of the easier aquaculture industries to break into as Tilapia are very hardy fish. However, it is influenced by many factors like the temperature, pH and the surroundings. Tilapia farming also needs to be done with care to protect the fish from various diseases that they tend to suffer from. In 2005 and 2006 the global Tilapia market saw a fall in the supply of Tilapia fish due to fish disease.

Tilapia farming produces lots of Tilapia that are used for two purposes. The two purposes are domestic consumption and trading in the global Tilapia market. Only 10 percent is traded in the world Tilapia market and the rest is used for domestic consumption. It is seen that the largest buyer of Tilapia is the United States. Tilapia is the fifth most famous seafood in the United States. The natives of United States prefer frozen fillets as compared to fresh fillets. Fresh fillets are more expensive than frozen filets. The cost of fresh fillet is around $5 per pound whereas frozen fillets costs only $2 per pound. The cost of Tilapia fish increases when it reaches the global fish market.

It is estimated that the rate of farming Tilapia has already reached over 5 million tons and will grow to 6 or more in the near future. It is also expected that it will soon replace salmon and crabs that are the leading sea food universally.

If you are thinking of farming Tilapia, then go ahead and jump in. The global Tilapia market is waiting for your Tilapia fishes.