The global shrimp industry is grappling with a host of challenges, including declining prices, reduced demand, and escalating feed and production costs. In response, the Executive Vice President of Charoen Pokphand Foods, James McIntosh, is advocating a back-to-basics approach to address industry issues.
Recognized for his commitment to sustainable shrimp production, McIntosh received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2023 Shrimp Summit in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. His work, particularly at Homegrown Shrimp USA, CP Foods’ recirculating aquaculture system shrimp farm in Florida, focuses on enhancing aquaculture technology for commercial shrimp farming.
Despite technological advancements contributing to a surge in global shrimp production, recent challenges such as disease outbreaks, market fluctuations, and rising production costs have raised concerns about industry profitability. McIntosh emphasized these issues in a keynote speech at the Shrimp Summit.
The decline in water quality, particularly in the South China Sea, has been linked to instances of early mortality syndrome (EMS) since 2012. Climate change impacts, including more frequent and intense weather anomalies, exacerbate these challenges. Rising temperatures also contribute to elevated levels of Vibrio bacteria, posing a threat to seafood quality.
While technological advancements have increased production, they have also led to higher production costs, outpacing shrimp prices in the global market. McIntosh emphasized the need to reverse this equation and highlighted the industry’s exploration of measures such as enhancing disease resistance in shrimp.
However, he cautioned that introducing innovative diets and ensuring consistent genetic robustness remain challenging and contribute to rising production costs. McIntosh advocates a return to the fundamentals, focusing on carrying capacity, feed and pond environment management, biosecurity, and healthy seed stock.
Carrying capacity refers to the maximum biomass a pond can sustain without succumbing to diseases or complications. McIntosh noted that the sector’s overall carrying capacity is approaching a breaking point due to overcrowding and loss of environmental control.
He stressed the significance of maintaining healthy shrimp through proper biosecurity and stress reduction measures. Healthy shrimp, according to McIntosh, are not only pathogen-free but also remain in a non-stressed state, emphasizing the importance of a holistic and sustainable approach to shrimp farming.
