By Sirinart Techa, Sorawit Powtongsook, Paveena Tapaneeyaworawong, Seri Donnua, Kornrawee Aiemsomboon, Sanit Piyapattanakorn, and Kallaya Sritunyalucksana
Global demand for shrimp has never been higher, yet this success is built on a fragile foundation. The industry is currently dominated by two species: the Whiteleg Shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) and the Black Tiger Shrimp (Penaeus monodon). While productive, these monocultures are highly susceptible to catastrophic disease outbreaks, such as Early Mortality Syndrome (EMS) and White Spot Syndrome Virus (WSSV) (Tran 2013; Thitamadee 2016). In Thailand, the Giant River Prawn (M. rosenbergii) offers a premium alternative, but remains sensitive to climate-driven salinity shifts (Szuster 2006). Clearly, to secure the future of its “Blue Economy,” Thailand must diversify its shrimp aquaculture. How? A promising answer lies in the “Chada Shrimp”, a group of local species that are evolutionarily adapted to Thailand’s unique environment and hold untapped global commercial potential.
An Economic Opportunity: Tapping Into the 220,000-Tonne Demand
“Chada Shrimp” is often dismissed as by-catch, yet its economic potential is significant. The Oriental River Prawn (M. nipponense), which is morphologically similar to Thailand’s Chada species, constitutes a thriving East Asian market. Current FAO data estimates the demand for Oriental River Prawn at approximately 220,000 tonnes per year, with a market value exceeding 2.8 billion USD.
The commercial viability of Thailand’s local species has already been validated through a consistent yearly order of 15 tonnes for the Japanese market. This established trade link, which is a critical baseline, proves that the quality and morphology of Thai “Chada Shrimp” meet strict international standards.
Furthermore, China’s own shrimp industry faces a critical turning point. Decades of intensive farming of the Oriental River Prawn without fresh genetic infusion have led to severe inbreeding depression, resulting in neoteny (early maturation) and decline in production volume (Hongtuo 2018).
Thailand, with its natural abundance of wild broodstock and the proven export interest, is perfectly positioned to capture this market shortfall.
Biodiversity and Ecological Traits: Defining the Chada Species Complex
To develop a resilient sector, the biological identity of the species categorized under the “Chada” name must first be clarified. These prawns, which belong to the genus Macrobrachium, divide into two distinct ecological groups. One group with freshwater traits (M. sintangense and M. hungi) thrives in inland freshwater systems and thus offers cultivation potential for landlocked provinces. A second group with brackish-water traits (M. equidens and M. cf. equidens) lives in estuarine environments and therefore is suitable for coastal cultivation.
Since its morphology mirrors the in-demand M. nipponense, “Chada Shrimp” becomes a prime candidate for export. With the selection of these four species, a vague “local prawn” concept transitions to a targeted, multi-species portfolio that can be deployed across Thailand’s diverse geography.
Samut Songkhram: Starring a Neglected Species and a Cultural Heritage
In Samut Songkhram province, about 70 kms southwest of central Bangkok, “Chada Shrimp” is a culinary icon. The dish “Kaprao Kung Katorm” has turned the Mae Klong River basin into a food tourism destination. However, this fame has led to a “supply shortage.” Paradoxically, while some consumers hunt for “Chada Shrimp” in restaurants, some farmers of M. rosenbergii eliminate it as “pest”. This lack of a formal production model has caused a decline in natural populations. Domesticating “Chada Shrimp” is the only way to preserve both its biodiversity and the local culinary culture.
Technological Breakthroughs: Building on Nature-based Solutions
True food security is rooted in working with nature’s inherent strengths. Our research has developed a dual-track larviculture strategy that respects the distinct evolutionary adaptations of the “Chada Shrimp” complex.
The Brackish-Water Trait
For brackish species, success in captivity depends on replicating the specific environmental cues found by our research.
Precision Larviculture: Larvae require a stable salinity of 20 ppt, a white-spectrum LED illumination (> 1,200 lux) supplement and a diet of Artemia. These optimum conditions were the key to shifting larval survival from a negligible 1.4% to over 25%.
Post-Larvae (PL) Transition: Larvae at the PL stage exhibit remarkable salinity tolerance. They can be successfully reared in freshwater to slightly brackish conditions (3-5 ppt) making them highly suitable for farmers with varying water sources.
The Freshwater Trait
In contrast, freshwater lineages offer a “low-barrier” entry to aquaculture. These species do not require the strict environmental conditions of their brackish relatives.
Simplified Rearing: These shrimps can be hatched and undergo larviculture entirely in freshwater without the need for high-intensity nursing.
Nutritional Flexibility: Their larvae are naturally hardy and capable of consuming microbound diets, thus reducing operational costs and technical complexity for small-scale inland farmers.
Both the intensive protocols for high-value brackish prawns and the simpler methods for freshwater species are now being piloted in diverse Thai environments, from coastal reaches to inland locations.
Implementation Bottlenecks: Evolving From Wild Uncertainty to Industrial Stability
A significant barrier to sustainable production remains: the dependence on wild-caught broodstock. Currently, hatcheries rely on the unpredictable collection of berried females, which leads to uneven quality and quantity. Government intervention is essential to initiate the “Chada Shrimp” industry. The Chinese experience proves that relying on individual farmers to manage seed production leads to unstable product quality due to the chaotic parental origins. China revitalized its industry of M. nipponense only after government-supported research institutes, such as the Freshwater Fisheries Research Center (FFRC), conducted systematic genetic screening to renew the germplasm (Hongtuo 2018). Thailand should follow this model by forming a “Nucleus Breeding Center” initiative.
2026-2031 Strategic Roadmap: Scaling Up Production
Phase 1 (2026-2027): Strategic infrastructure and government integration. Establish a resilient, pond-reared broodstock system to secure the seed supply and thus provide a consistent amount of vigorous PL in key coastal provinces through public-private partnerships.
Phase 2 (2028-2029): Full commercialization and market penetration. Position the “Chada Shrimp” as a premium, highly traceable “Thai Origin” product launched in commercial export corridors which target premium seafood markets in China and Japan.
Phase 3 (2030-2031): Technological foundation and Insulin-like Androgenic Gland Hormone (IAG) deployment. Develop functional “Male-Only” platforms using advanced IAG protein technology (Ventura 2012; Levy 2020). Capture the maximum commercial value by directly supplying the specific market segments which command the greatest consumer demand at premium price points.
Social Inclusion: Fostering Community Resilience
A core strength of the proposed “Chada Shrimp” initiative is its capacity for social inclusion. Unlike industrial shrimp farming, which often excludes smallholders due to high entry costs and biosecurity barriers, “Chada Shrimp” cultivation provides an equitable entry point into aquaculture. The deployment of specialized “Brackish-Water Trait” and “Freshwater Trait” lineages allow the species to be cultivated in diverse geographical landscapes.
Consequently, small-scale farmers from coastal brackish-water communities as well as those from landlocked agricultural households can diversify their incomes with minimal upfront investment. Transforming this local species from a secondary by-catch into a valuable asset enables local communities to engage in a sustainable value chain that safeguards their economic stability.
Conclusion: Securing the Future of Thai Aquaculture
The “Chada Shrimp” initiative provides a strategic blueprint for overcoming some vulnerabilities of modern aquaculture. By scaling up the production of resilient local shrimp species adapted to both freshwater and brackish environments, Thailand can diversify away from intensive, disease-prone monocultures and thus secure its seafood supply chain for generations to come. It is time to reclassify this native resource from an underutilized bycatch into the cornerstone of Thailand’s sustainable Blue Economy. Through an integration of advanced molecular technologies and inclusive community farming, “Chada Shrimp” cultivation promises an equitable, biosecure, highly profitable, nature-based path to a future resilient Thai aquaculture sector.
AQUADAPT 