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'White Shrimp' Beating Black Shrimp Industry
PHILIPPINES - The head of the Cruz Aquaculture Corp., Philip Cruz, is upbeat that the popularity, acceptability, and marketability of the "white shrimp" (Penaeus Vannamei) species over the "black tiger" (Penaeus Monodon) in the world market is a signal to Negros shrimp industry that it is time to shift gears.
According to the Sun Star Asian vannamei culture producers alone cover 81 percent of the world market.
Figures from the Negros Prawn Producers showed that presently, there are 650 hectares of active shrimp ponds, which produce 80 percent monodon and only 20 percent vannamei.
"Given all the advantages of growing vannamei, the present 20 percent can be conservatively increased to more than 50 percent. Thus, you would see how the Negros shrimp industry would be revitalized. You would see sprawling shrimp ponds just like in the 80s," Cruz said.
Cruz explained that the Latin American species, more popularly known by its scientific name, vannamei, is disease-free as sources of its broodstocks (parent shrimp) are of reputable sellers unlike the monodon (black tiger), which is sourced from breeders, reports the Asian Star.
"With the high cost of fuel, little wonder that domestic prices of monodon shrimp is more than P300 a kilo. With vannamei, this will be reduced to P200 or less and therefore even the Filipinos can afford to eat shrimp," he added.
TheFishSite News Desk
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