Investment in black tiger genetics would allow Vietnam to dominate market

Vietnam’s shrimp farmers moved away from black tiger (monodon) and over to vannamei because the productivity of the latter species made much more financial sense for them. 

However, there remains a market for black tiger, despite the fact that fewer and fewer farmers produce it globally, said Minh Phu chairman Le Van Quang.

“Some buyers want black tiger, and they only want black tiger. Demand is greater than supply, and that puts prices at around $4 or $5 per kilogram higher than those for vannamei,” he said.

“If Vietnam invested in the genetics behind black tiger, make it tempting to farm this species again by improving productivity, we’ll get more supply, and prices will come back to maybe $2/kg higher,” he suggested. 

“That way, we can still dominate the world’s black tiger market.”

In 2016, black tiger shrimp made up 59% of Vietnam’s shrimp sales to China, according to data presented by Le Hang, deputy director of the  Vietnamese Association of Seafood Exporters and Processors’ training and trade promotion center.