This is 23 percent off the trajectory for 2013 based on the past decade, he said. Up until two years ago, global output was growing at a 5 percent rate each year, but it dropped 6.7 percent between 2011 and 2012 and 9.6 percent between 2012 and 2013, to about 3.5 million metric tons.
The worldwide shrimp production dropped 15 percent since 2011, from about 4 million metric tons, according to the GOAL 2013 survey on shrimp production, presented by James Anderson, head of the global program onfisheries and aquaculture for the World Bank.
This is 23 percent off the trajectory for 2013 based on the past decade, he said. Up until two years ago, global output was growing at a 5 percent rate each year, but it dropped 6.7 percent between 2011 and 2012 and 9.6 percent between 2012 and 2013, to about 3.5 million metric tons.
The main reason? Disease, of course.
The biggest slump in production was reported from Asia, while the Americans an India are taking up a big share from the slump in southeast Asia.
In Latin America, the "biggest disappointment is Mexico," Anderson said. "Production is expected to be down 50 percent, all other countries are expected to see a healthy increase."
The key challenge, according to the survey, is disease, closely followed by production costs, especially for feed and access to disease-free broodstock. In Asia, environmental management challenges have moved up in importance, while in Latin America farmers are more concerned about international market prices and access to credit.
Overall, the sector is looking to a more positive economical development for the next year, but disease "absolutely [remains] the biggest risk in the industry," Anderson said.
It undermines market development, and there is a clear under-investment in disease management, he said.