According to the China Town farm's operations manager Rommel G. Catalma, Saipan SyAqua is actually thinking of selling its products to the region.
“We're looking at selling chilled shrimp in Japan, Korea, Guam, and even Hawaii. Japan is the second biggest importer of shrimp in the world and it's only three hours away,” he said in an interview with the Saipan Tribune Wednesday.
According to www.infofish.org, overall imports of shrimp to Japan amounted to $2.49 billion in 2007. In addition, smaller size shrimp, the cheaper farmed vannamei, has been the preferred alternative to the bigger size but more expensive tiger prawn, particularly in the retail sector. Subsequently, supermarket demand for vannamei has increased for spring sales (April-May), according to www.infofish.org.
Saipan SyAqua raises the Pacific white shrimp specie, with the scientific name Pennaes vannamei.
Local Shrimper Eyes Japanese Market
CHINA - Saipan SyAqua Aquaculture one day hopes to sell fresh chilled shrimps to one of the largest importer of seafoods in the world, Japan.