Asia is the leading supplier of farmed shrimp to global markets. However, its production has dropped since 2010 and gross margins remain thin due to low survival rates and disease outbreaks, resulting in reduced productivity and massive increases in production costs.
“Today the industry is being sustained by high prices which is not expected to continue. Living with diseases, inconsistent harvest volumes and crop losses may be the new normal, but what the industry needs now is a revolutionary change. This requires a much-needed shift in production paradigms if Asia is to reach the global production levels prior to the EMS crisis,” says Zuridah Merican, editor of Aqua Culture Asia Pacific, and chairperson of TARS 2018.
The two-day meeting, with the theme “Need for Change”, will feature international experts and key stakeholders from the industry and academia, who will share new knowledge, exchange insights and experiences at the plenary, interactive breakout sessions, and panel discussions that have become hallmarks this series.
Among the topics to be addressed are the current state of Asia’s shrimp aquaculture industry, new approaches for improving shrimp production, higher level of control, productivity and cost efficiency, and transformation to ensure the future of the industry. The plenary at TARS 2018 will comprise 15 presentations. A signature presentation on the State of the Industry & Challenges in Asia by a prominent stakeholder will review current industry developments and where the industry is heading.
“For country reviews, we have selected India, where the speed of development is fast and furious; Vietnam which is fast evolving to cope with diseases and production efficiency in post-EMS Thailand,” added Zuridah.
