Shrimp Industry Profile

In the Philippines, shrimp is one of the major aquaculture species, significantly contributing to the country’s quest for food security, employment and foreign exchange earnings. There are two species of shrimp cultured in the country, P. monodon or the giant black tiger shrimp also locally known as “sugpo” and P. vannamei or the Pacific white shrimp also commonly known as “suati”.

The black tiger shrimp, which ranges from 9 to 11 inches, is the largest shrimp species. It is easily distinguished by the black stripes along its back and tail. In contrast, the whiteleg shrimp typically has a translucent white coloration and can grow up to about 9 inches.

Shrimps are marketed in various forms, including fresh, whole, frozen or processed into products such as shrimp powder, paste, and sauce. Shrimp started as an incidental harvest in brackish water ponds before its production boom in the mid-1980. The country exports various types of processed shrimp and shrimp products, including frozen, head-on-shell-on (HOSO), peeled and deveined (PD).

Challenges in the Industry

Farmed shrimps, particularly the black tiger shrimp or “sugpo” is an important foreign exchange earner until production dropped due to disease outbreaks and difficulty faced in recovery. Of foremost threat is the White Spot Syndrome Disease Virus which causes high shrimp mortality and economic losses. For P. vannamei, one of the main issues is the high cost of broodstock, as the industry still relies on imports from the United States of America (USA) and Thailand. The cost of fry is also high and the supply is inadequate to support the needs of the shrimp growers. In addition, there are no available good quality local strains for P. vannamei, as well as for P. monodon and Macrobrachium spp.

Other issues faced by the industry include low production yields due to slow growth and occurrence of disease, emerging and prevalent diseases (WSSV, AHPND, and EHP), high feed conversion ratio, challenges in maintaining good water quality, and challenges in post-harvest processing.

Data Source: Philippine Statistics Authority update as of May 30, 2024.

Data Source: Philippine Statistics Authority update as of May 30, 2024.

Shrimp Policies

ISP for Shrimp

The PCAARRD Shrimp Industry Strategic S&T Program aims to revive the shrimp industry by providing solutions to the perennial problem of disease occurrence. The ISP further aims to increase the yield in pond systems for the black tiger shrimp (Peneaus monodon), Pacific white shrimp (Peneaus vannamei) and the Macrobrachium sp. It also aims to improve feed conversion ratio from 2 to 1.5 in commercial farms.

Strategic R&D

Strategic R&D is DOST-PCAARRD’s banner program comprising all R&D activities that are intended to generate outputs geared towards maximum economic and social benefits

Technologies

Products, equipment, and protocols or process innovations developed to improve productivity, efficiency, quality, and profitability in the agriculture and aquatic industries, and to achieve sustainable utilization and management of natural resources

Technology Transfer Initiatives

Technology Transfer  initatives ensure that the outputs of R&D and innovations are transformed into viable and applicable technologies that help intended users.

Capacity Building

Capacity building efforts of DOST-PCAARRD seek to develop and enhance the R&D capabilities of researchers and academic or research institutions through graduate assistantships, non-degree trainings & development, and/or upgrading of research facilities.

Infrastructure Development
  • Upgrade and Improvement of the Research Facilities/Laboratories of UPV

  • Improvement of facilities in UPV for broodstock production

Human Resources Development
  • Health Management for Shrimps

Policy Research & Advocacy

Analysis of policy concerns and advocacy of science-informed policies ensures that the AANR policy environment is conducive for S&T development and investments.

  • Competitiveness of Philippine Shrimp Industry under the ASEAN Economic Community

    The study indicated that Philippine shrimp production, specifically white shrimp and black tiger prawn, shows high competitiveness in an export trade scenario. This means that white shrimp and black tiger prawn are competitive internationally and have potential to earn foreign exchange as export commodities. The study also showed that white shrimp and black tiger prawn are competitive in the import substitution scenario, meaning they have cheaper production cost locally, therefore can compete with imported commodities.

    Reference(s):

    Andal, E. G., Lapiña, G. F., Manalo, N. Q., Dorado, R. A. Valientes, R. M., & Cruz, M. B. (2017). ASEAN Economic Community: Opportunities and Challenges for the Agriculture, Fishery, and Forestry Sectors. Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines: Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development – (Project Report)