Floods Cause Billion-Dollar Damage to Shrimp Farms
Flooding in five eastern Thai provinces has devastated shrimp farms, causing damages estimated at up to 22 billion baht and affecting nearly 19,000 farmers. The disaster worsens existing disease outbreaks and comes as Malaysia restricts imports of Thai shrimp, further threatening the industry’s export prospects. Officials warn that recovery will be slow and national shrimp production remains uncertain.
Speaking at a press conference on October 16, 2025, Somprasong Netrtip of the Thai Eastern Shrimp Association, together with Bunchong Nisaphawanich of the Thai Aquaculture Federation and advisors from the Thai Shrimp Association, presented an initial damage assessment from floods in Chachoengsao, Prachinburi, Chonburi, Rayong and Samut Prakan, estimating losses between 16.5 and 22 billion baht, consistent with the Fisheries Department’s figure of 17.5 billion baht. The damage extends beyond dead or escaped shrimp to include water quality, electricity supplies and equipment; many ponds need extensive rehabilitation before restocking can resume. The flood crisis compounds longstanding disease problems such as early mortality syndrome (EMS), red‑body white‑spot and white‑feces diseases, which have already cut Thailand’s annual shrimp output from 600,000 tonnes to about 250,000 tonnes and weakened the country’s competitiveness. Adding to the strain, Malaysia banned imports of five Thai shrimp species on June 1, 2025, causing Malaysian purchases to drop 81 percent in June and 40 and 22 percent in July and August, forcing producers to seek new markets or sell more domestically, which depresses farm‑gate prices. Somprasong said farmers now face a painful choice between selling at a loss or continuing to grow while bearing higher feed, electricity and disease risks, describing the situation as a systemic crisis affecting the whole value chain from hatcheries to processors, exporters and workers. The associations urged the government to improve relief measures to better match the actual damage.
