Challenges and Measures for Ecuador Shrimp Farming

Ecuador is one of the primary origins of Penaeus vannamei, and it is also the largest producer and exporter of?Penaeus vannamei?in the world. In 2022, Ecuador's export volume of?Penaeus vannamei?exceeded one million tons. The shrimp from Ecuador is known for its delicious taste, nutritional richness, and safety. It is highly recognized by consumers.

These qualities are closely linked to Ecuador's unique farming conditions, which include a stable water temperature ranging from 24-30°C throughout the year and a relatively low stocking density of 20 shrimp per square meter. These factors significantly reduce stress during shrimp farming, minimize the occurrence of diseases, and maintain a high survival rate of 60-70%.

However, with the continuous increase in production and the mismatch between farming practices and management, Ecuador?faces a series of challenges and issues.

Firstly,Feed costs remain high

In the first half of 2023, the cancellation of Peruvian anchovy fishing resulted in a 10% reduction in global fishmeal supply and a 30% reduction in fish oil supply. This led to a significant increase in global fishmeal prices to $2600 per ton and fish oil prices to $6000 per ton. Additionally, conflicts such as the Russia-Ukraine conflict and long-term droughts worldwide have caused prices of plant protein sources like soybean meal and wheat to soar. As a result, feed prices have increased by 1/5 to 1/4. Since feed constitutes 60%-70% of the total cost of shrimp farming, the overall cost of shrimp production has risen by nearly 10-15%.

Secondly, the market price?has?decline

Due to the global economic downturn, consumer demand has noticeably decreased. Major shrimp-importing countries such as China, the United States, and Europe have a lower-than-expected demand. Meanwhile, global shrimp production is expected to increase by approximately 2% this year, leading to an oversupply situation with declining demand. This has caused a significant drop in prices of?Penaeus vannamei. Currently, the price of shrimp in the size range of 30-40 pieces per kilogram is around $3.30, which is close to the breakeven line of production costs.

Thirdly, disease issues have become prominent

While all farmed species are affected by diseases, shrimp are particularly susceptible. Each year, diseases result in economic losses of up to one billion dollars for global?Penaeus vannamei?production, which is a substantial figure. Furthermore, diseases such as WFS, EHP, and EMS that have affected shrimp farming in Southeast Asia have also started to emerge in Ecuador.

Lastly, environmental degradation

In Ecuador, the farming of?Penaeus vannamei?involves the use of high concentrations of disinfectants and other farming chemicals. The wastewater from shrimp farming is often discharged directly into nearby coastal areas without any treatment, causing pollution and harming the stability and ecological balance of marine ecosystems.

Given these circumstances, what measures can be taken to reduce the cost of?Penaeus vannamei?farming and improve farming efficiency?

1. Develop new protein sources for feed, such as insect protein (black soldier fly) and single-cell protein (yeast, bacteria, algae), which are high-quality alternatives to fishmeal.

2. Implement measures to reduce feed costs, such as fine-tuning the formulation by reducing 0.5% crude fat. Additionally, use additives that protect the liver and pancreas and enhance fat digestion and absorption, such as bile acids. This can improve the survival rate, growth rate, and quality of shrimp.

3. Improve production processes by using more extruded feed. This not only improves feed conversion efficiency but also reduces the use of disinfectants and other chemicals, thereby minimizing water pollution and contributing to ecological balance.

4. Widely use automatic feeding machines and adopt flexible feeding strategies to promote uniform growth in shrimp, leading to higher survival rates and lower feed conversion ratios (FCR).

5. Increase the use of wastewater treatment equipment to achieve environmentally friendly treatment of wastewater. This ensures that the ammonia nitrogen in the wastewater meets the discharge standards, reduces pollution to the natural environment, mitigates eutrophication of water bodies, and enables sustainable development.

6. Select and breed strains with strong resistance to diseases such as EHP and EMS. Currently, evidence from WSSV-resistant selection shows that genetic breeding provides good growth and disease resistance for organisms. With the continuous advancement of genetic breeding techniques, strains with strong resistance to diseases such as EHP and EMS will emerge in the future.

In the future, with the widespread application of new farming technologies, inefficient ponds can be closed while continuously improving and enhancing the farming of high-quality ponds. By utilizing additives that protect the liver, pancreas, and intestinal tract, it is believed that Ecuador's shrimp production will experience a qualitative improvement.

Author：Dr.Zhang Wei, Overseas Technical Director of LachanceGroup