Bangladesh, India
How is it produced?
To meet global demand, large swaths of land are being mowed down to make way for aquaculture ponds. Some of the land was previously unusable, and the shrimp farms have made it profitable and useable again for its inhabitants.
Describe the supply chain to the store shelf in Canada:
2019 Canada imported $700 million in shrimp from South Asian countries, specifically India. I researched Kader Exports Private Limited and Liberty Foods, two of Costco’s seafood suppliers. I landed upon a coy single-page website written in seemingly ill-translated English. It offered no indication of how their products arrive in Costco warehouses or to whom they sell. It can be inferred that the shrimp are farmed and processed in India and travel to Canada somehow, but I could not quickly locate confirmation.
What is the power balance between the producer and seller?
The country and its farmers rely heavily on shrimp exports for its economic stability. This situation underscores the global nature of the aquaculture sector, which is not limited to Bangladesh or India alone but is seen as a global effort to address food security, nutritional needs, poverty reduction, and overall economic development on a sustainable scale. The production of shrimp in India showcases the interconnectedness fostered by economic globalization. If the demand declines, their economic future is jeopardized.
Can you recommend changes to the system to improve the balance?
All countries should be allowed to decide what to produce and with whom they trade. This should be done in an economically sound manner, with ethical and humane policies and practices monitored and enforced by member trading nations and states. No one should always maintain a monopoly or the upper hand.
References/Resources:
Grundig, T., Osborne, R., & Denne, L. (2019, 03 15). Shrimp containing antibiotic-resistant bacteria found in Canadian grocery stores. Retrieved 12 2023, from CBC News Marketplace: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/shrimp-antibiotics-resistance-amr-marketplace-1.5055101
Held, L. E. (2022, 12 08). Retrieved 2023, from FoodPrint: foodprint.org
https://www.libertyfoods.net/profile.htm