Increasing numbers of US farmers are looking to make the move into shrimp production, according to a report compiled by the Thai trade promotion office in Los Angeles.


The report issues a warning to Thai producers who export shrimp to the US that they may soon see increased competition from traditional US farmers of crops such as tobacco, oranges and corn.


These farmers are reportedly looking to develop more profitable joint ventures with catfish farmers, who are stuggling against the falling catfish prices, which they claim have been dictated by cheaper Vietnamese imports.


As catfish ponds are converted to shrimp ponds, the growth of the domestic US shrimp farming industry is enevitable, said the report.