USSEC participated in the first Technical and Scientific Shrimp Workshop on the Diversification of Shrimp Culture and Technology Innovations in Ciudad Obregon, Mexico.  This workshop helps maintain and increase trade relations with producers, farmers, suppliers, aqua-feed mills and technicians from the aquaculture industry.  Participants were updated on current production and market trends, the use of soybean products in aquaculture and contacted projects of trade and technical servicing in the aquaculture industry.

This event was attended by about 300 people, many of whom are potential users of U.S. soybean products, such as Mexican aquafeed mills, shrimp producers, representatives from government offices, technicians from various universities and people from sanitary committees.  USSEC consultants Jairo Amezquita and Allen Davis met with many shrimp producers to coordinate opportunities to work together during 2015 through sponsoring aquaculture activities in Mexico and providing technical service.  Dr. Davis also gave a lecture about the feeding practices and quality of feed in shrimp culture.
In 2014, the Mexican shrimp industry had production nearing 80,000 metric tons (MT) and a demand of 40,000 MT of U.S. soybean products.  This market has excellent growing potential in the upcoming years through improving the management of sanitary issues by stocking new larvae from Ecuador and implementing new better aquaculture practices.