The Aquaculture Roundtable Series® (TARS) returns for its 14th edition, with TARS 2025 set to spotlight Precision, Productivity, and Profitability in shrimp aquaculture. The two-day conference will take place from August 20–21, 2025, at the Shangri-La Hotel, Chiang Mai, Thailand, marking the seventh edition dedicated to the global shrimp industry.
This year’s event is the largest ever, bringing together 52 speakers, panelists, moderators, and industry leaders, alongside more than 275 registered participants. The opening will feature Dr. Thitiporn Laoprasert, Deputy Director-General of Thailand’s Department of Fisheries, and the active participation of leading sponsors and partners including dsm-firmenich, U.S. Grains Council, Jefo Nutrition, Auranta, Adisseo, ADM, SyAqua, Alltech, BioMar, Veramaris, Lucta, and Motiv.
Overview of the Conference
Industry at a turning point
Reflecting on a decade of industry challenges, TARS 2025 will address Asia’s shrimp sector at a critical crossroads. In 2014, post-AHPND, higher prices helped offset poor management, keeping farms afloat. But since 2016, tight margins have made cost control essential. Today, shrimp producers face mounting pressures: low prices, rising costs, recurring disease outbreaks, and declining farm productivity due to low success rates.
Farms have adapted by reducing stocking densities, skipping production cycles, and cutting costs. In Asia, where small-scale farms contribute 70% of shrimp output, the industry remains indispensable for millions of livelihoods. For both farm owners and workers, exiting the industry is not an option.
At Chiang Mai, stakeholders will first review the global shrimp supply-demand balance to better align Asia’s industry with market realities. The program also emphasizes lessons from Ecuador’s success, while acknowledging weaknesses in Asia’s intensive production model. Central themes include genetics, hatchery management, production planning, and nursery-phase improvements—all vital to building a stronger foundation.
The next generation of shrimp farmers
A defining feature of TARS 2025 is the spotlight on the next generation of shrimp entrepreneurs. With the industry undergoing generational transition, successors are blending business strategy with technological innovation.
Leading this movement are Thailand’s Klomsuwan sisters, who will share performance metrics and strategies behind their family farm’s consistent success. They will be joined by young entrepreneurs from Thailand, India, Indonesia, and Vietnam, offering insights on scaling shrimp aquaculture sustainably. Their collective vision aims to inspire others to recognize the untapped opportunities in Asia’s shrimp industry.
The startup ecosystem, driven largely by this new generation, is another highlight. These ventures focus on pond and farm management, disease prevention, and climate adaptation, offering solutions for farmers struggling with repeated crop failures.
Tackling fragmentation in the value chain
A recurring challenge for Asia’s shrimp aquaculture is fragmentation across the value chain—from genetics and hatcheries to farming, feed, cold storage, and processing. This siloed approach often creates inefficiencies and vulnerabilities.
The Hard Talk Panel will bring together leaders from across the chain—hatchery, farm, feed, and marketing—to debate solutions for greater cooperation and integration.
Precision through measurement
TARS 2025 will also feature its signature interactive roundtable breakout sessions. In a 1.5-hour forum, participants will collaborate to establish metrics for measuring industry performance, setting new targets and benchmarks for precision shrimp farming. Staying true to the spirit of TARS, this session ensures every participant has a voice, fostering open dialogue and shared responsibility in driving the industry forward.
