Imports of Shrimp to the USA up 3%.. ECUADOR #2 Importer to the USA!

February 15, 2012

United States

Washington DC—Shrimp Imports up 3% in 2011

At nearly 1.27 billion pounds, USA shrimp imports finished 2011 up 3 percent from 2010, according to government figures released on February 11, 2012, the second straight year that shrimp imports have increased.

The 2011 total topped 2010’s record of 1.23 billion pounds even though imports from the United States’ No. 1 shrimp supplier, Thailand, were down.  Imports from Thailand finished 2011 down 8.3 percent from 2010, at 407.8 million pounds.  Also, imports from China and Vietnam were down 10.6 percent and 6.2 percent, respectively, in 2011.

Picking up the slack were Indonesia, Ecuador, Mexico, India and Malaysia.  Last year, shrimp imports from those five countries were up 15.1 percent, 13.5 percent, 30.5 percent, 59.5 percent and 20.2 percent, respectively, from 2010.  Ecuador, the United States’ No. 2 shrimp supplier in 2011, chipped in 162.4 million pounds, while Indonesia, the No. 1 shrimp supplier, shipped 155.1 million pounds.

At around 4 pounds, shrimp represents roughly one-quarter of USA per-capita seafood consumption.

Sources: 1. Seafood Source.  U.S. Shrimp Imports up 3% in 2011.  February 14, 2012.  2. United States Department of Agriculture Webpage.  Economic Research Service.  Data Sets.  Aquaculture Data.  February 15, 2012.

Now this is COOL..Goggle Search "SHRIMP" and see what you get!!!

My Partner Steven and I are finishing a very comprehensive shrimp production and processing business plan at the moment and he decided to type in the word "Shrimp" to see what he came up. I was amazed that my handy work in shrimp photos and some of my recent posts were scattered throughout google NEAR THE TOP. I also figured out that one of the nice benefits of being on Google+ social media us that you get great Google search engine ratings on your posts .. well at least with  my "Shrimp Tales" posting :)

Thanks Google cuz now you have urged me on to post more and influence more and to even cook more shrimp recipes.. since most of my photos are on creations made in my own Shrimp Dude kitchen! My favorite is below.. a little Cheezy Shrimp n Grits whipped up last Sunday morning while most of Ecuador was still sleeping!

Ok .. back to pricing out some shrimp orders. After which i will head to my second office "the kitchen" to play with some panko breadcrumb butterfly cut shrimp.. Photos later i am sure.

Now go and Google Search "Shrimp" or your own favorite word! or click https://www.google.com/search?q=Shrimp&hl=en&rlz=1G1GGLQ_ENUS378&qscrl=1&prmd=imvnse&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=xHQxT7f0BsKhtweN8pGFBw&ved=0CEsQsAQ&biw=1280&bih=709  .. Best Doug

   

China - 62,000 cases concerning substandard food were spotted in the first 11 months of 2011

Food safety suffers 'feeble foundation'

Global Times | January 11, 2012 01:30 By Agencies

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A senior Chinese official admitted Tuesday that the nation's food safety still suffered from a "feeble foundation."

Despite achievements made in 2011, the nation will continue to have a hard time ensuring food safety for a quite long time, said Zhang Yong, director of the executive office of the food safety commission under the State Council.

He said problems remained at deep administrative levels, as a large number of food producers and catering operators are running small-scale businesses and some consumers lack knowledge and safety awareness.

New risks emerged with the use of new technology and materials in food production, and environmental pollution in producing areas also posed new challenges to traditional safety standards and tests, he said.

The director said remarkable progress had been made in improving the nation's food safety supervision network but the current system still does not fit in with actual demand, noting that supervision at grass-roots levels is extremely weak and that more efforts are needed to improve supervision and emergency handling capabilities.

Food safety scandals erupted in great numbers in 2011. Authorities busted farmers for adding clenbuterol, a known carcinogen, to pig feed in order to produce leaner pigs, for example.

In late December, milk products by the nation's leading dairy company, Mengniu, were found to contain high levels of aflation, a cancer-causing toxin.

To make the nation's food supplies safer in 2012, the authorities will carry out campaigns targeting six sectors: the rural food market, dairy products, edible oil, liquor, seasonal and festive food as well as food additive management, according to a statement released after Tuesday's national work conference on food safety supervision.

By the latest official count, a total of 62,000 cases concerning substandard food were spotted in the first 11 months of 2011, underscoring the severity of China's food safety problem.

Authorities ordered 43,000 businesses found illegally operating without licenses to cease production, while revoking the business licenses of 576 operators during that period, according to the State Administration for Industry and Commerce.

Japan's "Great Catch".. Antibiotics in Shrimp Farming..NO Vietnam there is no need to use Antibiotics in your shrimp pools!!!

Ok... NOW do you really know whats in your Seafood?

January 8, 2012Vietnam

Japan Rejects Vietnamese Shrimp Because of Antibiotics

In 2011, according to the Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Japan rejected 56 shrimp shipments from Vietnam because they contained residues of the antibiotic enrofloxacin.  The shrimp were shipped back to Vietnam.  If the rejections continue into 2012, some shrimp exporters may have to shut down and some, if they get caught again, may face bankruptcy.

Truong Dinh Hoe, General Secretary of the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Processors (VASEP), said conducting tests on the processed products prior to exports would not be a comprehensive solution to the issue because farmers would still use enrofloxacin in their shrimp feeds.  Asking farmers to stop using the antibiotic is out of exporters’ control, Hoe said.  VASEP has repeatedly urged the General Seafood Department to consider prohibiting the use of enrofloxacin in shrimp feed.

Pham Anh Tuan, deputy head of the General Seafood Department, said, “We are reviewing all of the drugs used in aquaculture and will eliminate all that contain enrofloxacin....”

Source: Tuoitrenews.  Shrimp Exporters Face Shut-Down Due to Antibiotic Residue. January 7, 2012.

Ok.. my 2 Cents worth ;)

Here in Ecuador the use of antibiotics in our shrimp production is against the LAW.. Especially antibiotics from the Fluoroquinolone family! Used to treat bacterias NOT viruses.. I suspect that the Vietnamese farmers were trying to use this above treatment as a broad-spectrum antibiotic hoping to kill nasty buggs that seem to be getting into their pools...without really knowing what they were really trying to protect their shrimp from. Great the Japanese caught these shipments from Vietnam and returned them.. our world wide shrimp farming industry needs to understand NO USE of Antibiotics MEANS DO NOT USE! Except that it looks as though the Vietnamese General Seafood Department is reviewing the use of ALL DRUGS used in aquaculture? What? ALL DRUGS... hey here in Ecuador we use ZERO drugs in our shrimp production... well unless you call adding to the feed some Pro-biotics and for breakfast a little citric acid (orange juice) drugs, as the health of our shrimp is very important to us and our consumers.

Because we care about what you eat.. we will keep you updated :)

My best .. Douglas 

USA Shrimp Import Report .. Shrimp Rule!! 2011

December 14, 2011United States

Washington State—Ken Talley Reports on USA Shrimp Imports

The December 12, 2011, issue of Ken Talley’s Seafood Trend Newsletter (independent coverage of the seafood market since 1984), reports on USA shrimp imports through October 2011.  Some excerpts:

The demand for shrimp in the United States shows no sign of slowing.  The volume of imports is growing and so is the value and average import price.  October imports rose by 5.2% over last year to some 136 million pounds.  That brings the total import volume this year to just over one billion pounds for the first eight months of this year, an increase of 3.8%.  While the increase in volume has been slow and steady, the increase in value has soared this year.  All told, shrimp imports through October were worth $4.2 billion, a whopping, double-digit gain of 25% over the $3.3 billion in October 2010.

This resulted in a strong 20.5% gain in the average value of the imported shrimp from $3.36 a pound in 2010 to $4.05 this year.

As has been the case all year, shrimp is deemed a good value even though prices have been increasing along with volume.  In a market where king crab wholesales for as much as $25 a pound and Dungeness sections approach $7 a pound, shrimp represents a great competitive value.

Indonesia has benefited from its crop of giant tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon) as many Asian producers move to white shrimp (P. vannamei). Japan and the USA compete for Indonesia’s shrimp, with total exports to the USA reaching 128.4 million pounds, up 14.4%.  India has seen a huge 77.1% increase in shrimp exports to the USA through October.  Two main factors are responsible: the weak rupee, which makes Indian shrimp a good buy, and the increased production of white shrimp.  Importantly, a significant volume of India’s white shrimp is larger than usual, making for strong demand so far this year.

Vietnam has held steady in shipments to the USA despite floods and disease problems.

Malaysia’s shrimp exports to the USA continue to increase as marketers there shift their attention away from Europe and to markets in Asia and the USA.  The expense of retrofitting plants to meet new standards from the European Union have meant more shrimp to the USA.

Source: Seafood Trend Newsletter (8227 Ashworth Avenue North, Seattle, Washington 98103-4434, USA (phone             1-206-523-2280      , fax 1-206-526-8719, emailseafoodtrend@aol.com).  Editor, Ken Talley.  December 12, 2011.

Can You Imagine This... "Sustainable Fish n Chip Good Catch Awards"

Even though i am the Shrimp Dude.. I love Fish n Chips. Sometimes here in Ecuador i think i am the only gringo cooking beer-battered fish n shrimp, along with a good helping of chips!! Last weeks news of the recent finalists for the Good Catch Awards brought to our attention just how even the Fish n Chip industry is paying attention to sustainability in ocean catch. Check out the stats in the article, but what caught my eye was the over 250 Million Fish n Chip meals are sold every year across the UK and some other stats you will find interesting..

http://www.seafoodsource.com/newsarticledetail.aspx?id=13173

Cudos to the SeaFish group for making these awards possible.

Think about your next protein choice when it comes to buying & cooking your favortie dishes.. "Are your fish or SHRIMP favorites from sustainable or well managed resource?"

More Shrimp tales later... Because we care about what you eat!!

Shrimp Tales.. Survey Said!!

What so you think about sustainable seafood sources for your protien selections? How important is it to you, to buy a sustainable produced seafood product?

Check out what 400 other people thought.. click this link from Seafoodsource.com:

https://www.seafoodsource.com/content.aspx?id=10737419143&cmsMode=Preview&utm_source=28489&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=TrafficDriver