Global Technical and Trade Conference on Shrimp
6 - 9 November 2008, Guangzhou, China

A landmark event for the global shrimp industry....

SHRIMP 2008 – a landmark event for the global shrimp industry

Come November, the world shrimp industry will converge on Guangzhou, “the southern gateway to China”, for one of the biggest events that the industry has seen in recent times. Scheduled to be held from 6 – 9 November 2008, SHRIMP 2008 - the Global Technical and Trade Conference on Shrimp is expected to draw major industry players from across the globe who will arrive seeking answers to the increasingly tough challenges faced by the remarkably resilient industry. The four day event, comprising a 3-day conference and a fourth day devoted to field trips and a buyer-seller meet, is organised by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture and the FISHINFONETWORK comprising the regional organisations of INFOFISH (Asia-Pacific), INFOYU (P.R. China), INFOPESCA (Latin America), INFOPECHE (Africa), INFOSAMAK (Arab countries), EUROFISH (Europe) and FIIU-GLOBEFISH. The event is held back to back with China Fisheries & Seafood Expo 2008, Qingdao (4-6 November 2008).

The conference programme is divided into four sessions. Session 1 on Global Overview will address shrimp production from culture and capture; the international shrimp trade; the technical, economic and marketing considerations with respect to black tiger and vannamei shrimp; and the impact of the looming global food crisis on the shrimp industry. Session 2, which is on Industry Situation and Outlook, will look critically at the industry in various parts of the world: Thailand, China, Vietnam, India, Indonesia, The Philippines, Latin America, the Middle East, among others. It will also address the coldwater shrimp industry in Europe and North and South America.

Session 3, on Markets and Marketing, will investigate the main traditional markets in Japan, Europe and USA, and will also take a look at emerging markets in Southeast Asia, China, the Far East, the Middle East, Eastern Europe and other areas. Specialised market segments such as the catering sector and the retail market will be studied in detail. The growing market for organic shrimp will also be given focus. Technological Developments and Related Issues will be covered in Session 4. Among the topics slated for discussion are developments in processing and packaging; value addition; organic shrimp farming; traceability and risk assessment; role of HACCP in assuring food safety; technological innovations for sustainable shrimp farming; certification in the shrimp value chain; and investment in the shrimp sector in the current global scenario.

The final day of the event is set aside for field trips to farms, processing plants and markets. A buyer-seller meet is also planned. For those who would like to take the opportunity to get better acquainted with Guangzhou, a city tour is also planned. The conference is an ideal event to find out what is happening in the industry and what is likely to take place in the near future. International renowned experts will be giving the lectures on the various topics. The conference is simply a must for all who have a stake or are planning to have a stake in the industry – be they industry players, exporters, importers, processors, traders, suppliers of goods and services, government officials, policy makers, or environmentalists.

For further information, please contact: INFOFISH, P.O. Box 10899, 50728 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Tel: (603)20783466, Fax: (603) 20786804. Email: infish@po.jaring.my. Website www.infofish.org