THE Myanmar shrimp farming industry is struggling to compete with neighbouring countries because of high global fuel prices, the chairman of the Myanmar Shrimp Association said last week.

“We have to rely on diesel to run the machines, such as motors for paddlewheels, at our shrimp farms while other countries like Thai-land and Vietnam have electricity at their farms,” assoc-iation chairman U Hla Maung Shwe said.

Shrimp farms need the paddlewheel aerators to enhance splashing in the water, which speeds up evaporation, increasing the salinity of the pond water.
U Hla Maung Shwe said shrimp farmers in other countries have much better electricity access, which helps them to keep production costs low.

“About 92 percent of farms in Thailand and Vietnam are connected to the power grid ... but we have to use the diesel to run the motor,” he said, adding the average cost of the one kilowatt hour of electricity is just K100, while diesel costs about K450 per kilowatt hour, he said.