Shrimp in Madagascar
With a production volume of 14,000 MT in 2016, Madagascar is one of the smallest producers of shrimp in the world. Despite this, the organically produced Malagasy Giant Tiger shrimp is well known for its high quality and unique taste, making it a desirable product, especially for the European market. The country is the largest exporter of shrimp in Africa and, as the local demand for a product as costly as shrimp is limited, more than 60% (8,500 MT) of the total production was exported in 2016. Production from wild capture make up for nearly 70% of the total production volume and has been steadily increasing for the past few years. Although farmed shrimp only counted for 3,500 MT in 2015, statistics from 2016 indicate that the sector is starting to recover from the outbreak of the White Spot syndrome in 2011 by presenting a production increase of 20%. The sector is developing and Madagascar is considered to be the leading country in shrimp aquaculture in Africa. Even though the environmental conditions are favorable for expanding the aquaculture sector, other factors such as the rising of costs, energy and fishmeal, and limited infrastructure, serve as obstacles for a significant expansion to take place in the near future. Despite this, the aquaculture sector will keep focusing on improving the existing niche market to offer high-quality shrimp, produced in a sustainable, environmental friendly and social responsible manner for the international market.