Where is the added value in this fast moving and large (100,000 tonnes, EUR 500 million/USD 800 million) market? Where will it be tomorrow? At the origin, close to production sites or close to where consumers are? Organic, other certified products: what is their competitive position? Do consumers have any preferences in terms of species? Who participates in the upgrading of supply along the distribution chain? These are the questions which are addressed in my newly launched report, which can be purchased here.

France Imports of Frozen Tropical Shrimp, in tonnes 00/10

Customs data: Frozen shrimps other than pandalidae and crangon species. Source: Eurostat

Tropical shrimp is imported, predominantly from non EU countries (EUR 490 million) and marginally from EU countries (EUR 10 million).

Ecuador, Madagascar, India: the dominant sources of supplies

Top Three Suppliers and Market Shares: 08/10

Non EU Suppliers

Ten countries make 80 per cent of French supplies of shrimps. In the past three years, Ecuador (South America), Madagascar (Indian ocean) and India (Asia) are the dominant supplying countries, representing 70 per cent of all tropical shrimps imports in 2010, value wise.

Ecuador performs very well in France, being the number one supplier, volume wise since 2008. Products from Ecuador whole raw Penaeus vannamei, 80-100, 60-40, 20-40 pieces per kilo size. These items are mainly sold HOSO cooked in bulk or cooked and peeled (PTO, peeled) in retail packs, whilst Organic P. vannamei are performing well.

Which product?

This newly launched report is based on a storecheck which describe over 130 items. See abstract here…

Raw other than HOSO & other than Peeled

Cooked OSO

Where to add value?

Under the pressure of intense competition between producing countries on the one hand and processors on the other, supply is evolving fast. Over the past 5 years it has moved from predominantly cooked HOSO unbranded sold in bulk items to peeled, pre-packed and certified branded items.

The market today shows a preference for fresh/ chilled short shelf-life (a few days) products. Currently possibilities for long distant producers to participate in this are limited.

However technological innovation may help Asian or South American processors to sell convenience pre-packed items, with little to be done near markets. In the future, shrimp may be cooked once packaged, instead of being packed once cooked.

How to create a premium?

The demand for certified organic shrimp, for certified higher quality products have been evidenced by this storecheck. For instance, the larger range of organic shrimp on display, coming from Madagascar, Ecuador, Thailand and other countries captures higher retail prices; compared to the same size, same species, same origin conventional item.