Cooked shrimp in France : price structure in the supply chain : case study

The main characteristic of the cooked shrimp EU market is its total dependence on imports mainly from central and south America and Asia. Shrimps are mostly imported raw and frozen to be cooked next to consumption areas. Thus, shrimp cooking industry relies almost exclusively on tropical shrimp and especially Penaeus species. - The French market for cooked shrimp amounts to 70.000 tonnes and is based at 90% on whiteleg shrimp (Penaeus vannamei). - The cooked and chilled shrimp trade takes place especially between neighbour Member States but is very limited compared to the frozen shrimp trade. - France is the largest importer of Penaeus shrimp in Europe with about 77 000 tonnes imported in 2015 and the EU imports about 7% of the total Penaeus species world production. Only a minor share of imports is directly sold frozen. - In France, in 2015, Ecuador (41%) and India (12%) accounted for more than half of imports volume. Then comes Madagascar, with mostly Penaeus monodon (Giant tiger shrimp) and accounting for 6% of imports. Intra EU imports accounted for 16% of imports volume. - French tropical shrimp market includes a large range of products segmented by several parameters (species, sizes, origins, presentation and preservation) but the main market is still the Penaeus vannamei marketed in bulk in the fresh fish counters of large-scale retailers and, to a lesser extent, in fishmongers' shops. However, prepacked, processed and prepared products as well as certified products have experienced recently significant increases in demand. - World trade in tropical shrimp is a very tense market and has recently become very dependent on China's imports. However, in France, cooked shrimp household consumption is very dependent on price evolution. The consequence is that shrimp cooking industry can experience very tense context from on year to another with relatively low margin levels and high dependence on import prices. - Regarding price structure in the supply chain: - As the processing added value is quite low (only cooking), margin levels are limited and totally dependent on raw material price evolution (import prices). - In France, the cooking processing phase represents only 10% of the retail price.