Farmed soft-shell crabs from Myanmar are generating attractive export returns compared to farmed shrimp. (Photo: FAO/Stock File)

Shrimp farming zone switches to soft-shell crab

MYANMAR
Friday, December 12, 2008, 17:00 (GMT + 9)

The Myanmar fisheries industry is likely to shift production from shrimp to soft-shell crabs in a effort to ease the impact of the global financial crisis. The shift counters recent statements claims by the government that the crisis has not had an effect on the fisheries sector.

Recent trade figures, however, point to a drop in export volumes and revenue for fish and shrimp as opposed to soft-shell crab.

The export volume of fisheries products was down by 6.1 per cent in the year through October 2008, compared to the same period last year.

An official from the Department of Fisheries stated the export value for this fiscal year fell some USD 12 million from the last fiscal year. That is, the industry earned around USD 285 million by late November through the export of 1.8 million tonnes of seafood products.

Officials had projected sector earnings of around USD 850 million this year.

Myanmar's export capacity for 2008 declined by more than 2,200 tonnes. In May, the country’s fisheries industry suffered serious damages by Cyclone Nargis, which was followed some months later  by the global financial crisis.

The official added the soft-shell crab farming industry is looking very promising now even as the farmed shrimp sector is facing difficulties due to low prices on the world market.

Earlier this year, Myanmar converted the shrimp farming zone in Kyauk Tan township in Yangon to a soft-shell crab farming zone in order to boost the number of crab farms in Yangon outside of Tanintharyi Division. The export of soft-shell crab alone yielded USD 3.27 million in the year so far, the department noted.

Myanmar’s fish exporters also lost USD 700,000 due to the recent closure of a Bangkok airport, the department confirmed.

By P.Jimmycho
editorial@fis.com
FIS ASEAN Region

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