Speaker Category: Speaker

Abstract

Shrimp are slow and selective feeders, typically reared in turbid aquatic environments rich in dissolved chemicals. These conditions increase the risk of feed wastage and nutrient leaching, reducing feed quality and contributing to environmental degradation. Together, these factors impair feeding efficiency and decrease farm profitability.

However, shrimp possess highly sensitive sensory receptors distributed across their bodies, enabling them to detect chemical cues and locate food from considerable distances. Extensive research into chemostimulants and their role in chemosensory-driven feeding behavior have opened opportunities to develop practical applications that target the activation of the shrimp’s chemosensory systems. Such strategies can accelerate feed detection and ingestion, leading to improved feed utilization and overall intake.

Asia’s shrimp aquaculture industry faces pressing challenges in optimizing feed utilization, production efficiency, environmental sustainability, and shrimp health. Palatability enhancers are emerging as essential tools, not only for stimulating feed intake and promoting growth but also for supporting the use of alternative ingredients, with positive impacts on the industry’s sustainability and profitability. Moreover, these strategies contribute to improved water quality, resulting in more robust and healthier shrimp.

This presentation will explore practical case studies illustrating how improvements in feed palatability can address these challenges. By leveraging advances in chemosensory science, producers can enhance the productivity, profitability, and resilience of shrimp farming systems.

*Joint presentation with Sofia Morais

Abstract

The global shrimp aquaculture industry is undergoing significant turbulence, driven by a continuous rise in production, stagnation in key markets such as the European Union (EU) and the United States (US), and a noticeable downturn in demand from China. These disruptions are further intensified by recent changes in the U.S. trade policy.

First and foremost, it is essential to avoid an oversupply of farmed shrimp relative to market demand. In the long run, as with agricultural products, such an imbalance can only be corrected by a reduction in supply – survival of the fittest and most adapted.

This means offering high-quality products that are precisely aligned with consumer expectations.

To overcome current challenges, it is essential to improve shrimp marketing by addressing the specific requirements of customers, particularly in terms of quality. It is important to understand that quality is not a one-size-fits-all concept; it varies by market, depending on local consumption habits, cultural preferences, and how the product is ultimately used. Tailoring production and presentation to these factors can create a real competitive advantage.

Currently, shrimp importers perceive Asian and Latin American products differently. In general, Western importers (EU and US) consider Latin American shrimp to be of higher quality. This perception is mainly based on two factors:

• A better understanding by Latin American producers of what consumers consider to be high-quality shrimp.
• A faster and more efficient post-harvest processing — which is often less consistent in Asia.

This understanding of what the term ‘’quality” means goes far beyond compliance with the standards set by certification bodies, which usually only focus on environmental and social factors. While these aspects are important — even essential — for consumers, many want more. Depending on their culture, they often expect shrimp with distinctive taste, produced under animal welfare guidelines, fed with healthy ingredients, etc.

Finally, price remains a key factor. Latin America, and Ecuador, in particular, can offer shrimp at a lower price than products from Asia. There are several reasons for this:

• Facilities that have long since been amortized;
• A semi-intensive farming method that is less energy-intensive than most Asian farms;
• Lower feed costs achieved by better feed efficiency: use of additives to improve digestibility (enzymes, essential oils, organic acids, etc.), improved methods for evaluating daily feed rations and efficient feeding echniques;
• No intermediaries between farmers and processors/exporters.

The competitive advantages currently associated with Latin American shrimp can also be achieved by Asian producersl.

However, this requires a thorough effort to better understand the expectations of Western markets — not only in terms of final product quality, but also in production methods and cost control, particularly by optimizing the supply chain between producers and exporters.

The presentation will cover the value chain for quality shrimp from harvest to processing, and identify the right products for various markets. It will also explore how Asian producers can enhance the market perception of their shrimp and become more competitive through strategic marketing and branding.

Abstract

Shrimp aquaculture is under increasing pressure to deliver higher production yields while aligning with environmental and economic sustainability goals. A key challenge for the industry is reducing reliance on marine-derived ingredients such as fishmeal and fish oil, which are subject to price volatility, limited supply, and significant environmental impact.

Innovative feed ingredients and functional additives are critical in enabling this transition. By enhancing palatability, improving feed efficiency, and maximizing nutrient utilization, these solutions help to maintain or increase shrimp performance even as marine-based ingredients are reduced or replaced, ultimately contributing to a lower carbon footprint in production.

This presentation will showcase a range of novel ingredients and their application strategies to improve formulation flexibility, shrimp growth, health and overall feed performance. These practical examples provide a clear bridge between innovation and practical implementation, advancing both the sustainability and profitability of shrimp farming.

Abstract

The global shrimp aquaculture industry continues to face significant challenges, particularly inconsistent farming performance, and limited access to reliable information — all of which directly impact productivity and profitability. Precision farming, already well established in poultry and terrestrial agriculture, offers a data-driven approach to improve efficiency, optimize decision-making, and increase overall farm performance.

Shrimp farming, however, has been slower to adopt such innovations, mainly due to the dominance of small-scale operators, limited formal knowledge transfer, strong reliance on traditional methods, and a general perception that digital technologies are complex or difficult to implement. A study by Thailand’s Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives found that farms using Smart Farm Management Systems saw a 13% increase in productivity and a 95% rise in profitability — clear evidence of the benefits precision farming can bring to aquaculture. Core practices such as digital record-keeping, real-time water quality monitoring, and automation of operations are already gaining traction.

However, this presentation will focus on more advanced tools, many powered by AI that are beginning to support not only day-to-day farm operations but also strategic decision-making. These include market price forecasting, profit optimization models based on cost and price data, and digital platforms that facilitate knowledge sharing between small-scale farmers and larger players in the supply chain. Such tools enable a shift from reactive farming to proactive, business-driven management — improving survival rates, boosting yields, and increasing financial stability, all while advancing sustainability.

Abstract

Translucent post-larvae disease (TPD) is a relatively new and highly lethal bacterial disease affecting Penaeus vannamei production. It originated in China in early 2020s and it is now prevalent in Vietnam, in the hatcheries and grow-out farm. The disease, caused by a hypervirulent strain of Vibrio parahaemolyticus, was given this name due to its dramatic, visible impact on shrimp: pale, often transparent hepatopancreas and digestive tract, followed by massive mortality, which can reach 100% within 7-14 days.

Good Tôm is a modern shrimp farm operator located in the Mekong Delta, South Vietnam, producing P. vannamei in intensive settings. Akin to other farms in the region, the company has faced TPD over the past 12 months. In this presentation, we focus on three cases of TPD outbreaks in two Good Tôm farms. Across all these individual cases, three aspects were explored: (1) the likely source of the pathogens; (2) the biological and economic impact of this disease; (3) the attempts made to try to rescue infected shrimp and complete the farming cycle. Each of the TPD cases differs in its epidemiology, overall impact, and farm management protocol used to mitigate negative consequences. Thus, future lessons can be drawn to support other farmers manage the threat of TPD.

Abstract

Several factors, such as temperature, water quality (dissolved oxygen, ammonia-N, etc.), genetics and feed quality, are known to affect the growth performance, survival and efficiency of feed utilization of shrimp. Despite the importance of these parameters, there has been surprisingly very little work on assessing and predicting their impact on performances of shrimp reared under commercial conditions.

Starting with work initiated at the University of Guelph, Wittaya Aqua developed models and user-friendly tools enabling the analysis and robust description of the response of the animals reared under variable environmental factors. These tools also enabled the standardization of growth and mortality of animals and development of robust indices reared under a wide variety of production conditions. These were then used to analyze and benchmark performance of 100s of commercial shrimp production lots. They are also used to forecast and/or quantify the impacts of different environmental factors (alone and combination) and benchmarked performance levels on productivity and profitability of commercial shrimp culture operations. Considerable variability in performances was observed across production lots, farms and countries.

This work highlights the potential of models and benchmarking in helping the industry move forward.

Abstract

From the demand side, this presentation will look at shrimp imports after the Covid lockdown. It will show the route to market via the importers, wholesalers, distributors and downstream into the market segments of food service, supermarket retail and online retail. Online retail has grown tremendously to nearly a 60% share in China, probably more than any other country in the world. Many tier-one cities can deliver within 5 hours of registering an order. However, branding and product recognition are critical in this segment for repeat business.

China’s market is not homogenous; it offers a market for many shrimp product types from HOSO, HLSO, PUD to butterfly, but the product type and size must match the market segment. The demand for quality, sustainability and traceability also varies. The future is about moving upwards in quality and away from soaking. The food service demand is also changing. Chain restaurants have moved from bulk packaging to small individual packaging to ensure consistency in the individual kitchen.

Global shrimp prices have dropped over the past 3 years, and this has affected China. Ecuador and new South American countries have increased export volumes to China. This higher supply has led to price discounting and consequently to poor market sentiment. In terms of price elasticity, the lower import prices have not cascaded to the retail level. We see that prices to the consumer have remained stable. It will take time for the supply chain to balance itself.

Consumer confidence has indeed dropped in China, and this is due to the slump in property prices. However, this does not mean that the capacity to spend has been reduced. Shrimp consumption and imports will continue, while the inventory will become more balanced along the supply chain. The view is that 2025 is a correction year while 2026 will see consumption growth again. China’s shrimp aquaculture and the local supply side will also be presented.