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Exports of tilapia products to the global markets are destined mainly for North America (USA and Canada), Western Europe (UK, Belgium, France, and Germany) and the Middle East (Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordan and UAE). The USA is the single largest importer from all over the world and tilapia ranks No 6 among the most preferred species in the country. The US tilapia consumption increased from 0.28 lb/caput in 2000 to 0.85 lb/caput in 2005 and is predicted to increase further in the future.
Imports of tilapia into the USA have increased tremendously
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US Total Tilapia Imports (1997 - 2005 )  |
over the years from only 24,444 mt valued at US$ 49.5 million in 1997 to 158,254 mt valued at US$ 483 million in 2006, representing an average yearly increase of 61% and 97% in terms of quantity and value respectively over the period. |
Total Tilapia Exports ( 2002 - 2005 )  |
Tilapia is also becoming popular in Europe, especially in UK, France, Belgium, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands. The northern part of Europe prefers fillets, while the south generally chooses whole fish. In general, larger sized tilapia is preferred. The main suppliers are China, Taiwan, Indonesia, Thailand and Zimbabwe.
Other major markets for tilapia are Middle Eastern countries, especially Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordan and UAE where imports of tilapia have been on the rise.
hailand and Taiwan are the main suppliers of predominantly whole frozen black tilapia. |
Taiwan exported more than 6,300 mt of frozen tilapia to various Middle Eastern countries with Saudi Arabia and Kuwait being the biggest buyers. In 2003, Thailand exported 2,172 mt of frozen tilapia to Saudi Arabia and 209 mt to Kuwait.
There is also a growing market for high value convenience tilapia products such as skin-on, skin-off, deep-skinned, ozone-dipped, CO-treated, IQF, smoked, and sashimi grade tilapia products in various types of packaging such as vacuum packed or heat-sealed, in 1, 2 or 5 kg packs. There is also potential demand for organic tilapia, especially in the USA and Europe. Value addition in the tilapia industry is also going toward maximising by-product utilization, such as cut-offs resulting from trimming, to produce surimi based products, skin for producing leather, snacks and pharmaceutical products. Tilapia scales can also be used to make handicraft items.
The tilapia is popular in aquaculture because of its hardy nature, ease of breeding and its uncanny ability to grow well in different habitats. The culture technology for the fish is well developed, especially for the two main species Oreochromis niloticus and O. aureus. The red and golden strains of tilapia, which are usually a cross between O. mossambicus and one or two other species such as O. aureus or O. niloticus, are becoming increasingly popular. As male tilapia grows faster and larger than females, one way of increasing yield is to use all-male seed stocks for grow-out. All-male seed can be produced by manual sexing, hormonal sex reversal, hybridisation and through genetically male tilapia (GMT) or YY technology. “GIFT” or Genetically Improved Farmed Tilapia have been developed through genetic selection. A variety of culture systems is used for farming tilapia such as cages, pens, ponds and tanks. Tilapia can also be cultured in polyculture with other species, or integrated with agriculture, including livestock rearing |
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