BACOLOD CITY—The emergence of Early Mortality Syndrome (EMS) or Acute Hepatopancreatic Necrosis Disease (AHPND) has prompted shrimp and prawn growers in Negros Occidental to initiate measures to cope with its effects, worsened by the prolonged heat associated with El Niño.
The AHPND has recently been detected in the province, as well as in other parts of the country, including Central Luzon, Bohol and Cebu.
“The disease has already caused up to 70-percent drop in production among countries of China, Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia,” Raoul Flores, vice chairman of Negros Prawn Producers Cooperative, said on Monday. He pointed out that persisting heat results in hot temperature and high water-salinity level that intensifies the risks of AHPND existence in shrimp and prawn production areas.
AHPND, which comes from parahaemolyticus, is a pathogenic Am Vibrio bacterium that brings the disease by transferring from one species to another.
Flores said the fact that the four Asian countries have not yet recovered despite having advanced production technology brings fear among prawn producers in Negros Occidental.
Thailand used to produce 685,000 tons in 10 years ago, but since being hit by AHPND in 2010, its production last year was only about 250,000 tons, he noted.
“AHPND is deadliest among other diseases like the white spot,” Flores said.
In Negros Occidental AHPND initially hit two production areas sometime in June last year, as El Niño effects were slightly felt then.
Flores added that as preventive measures, local shrimp and prawn producers have already utilized various equipment in checking and monitoring the disease among not less than 1,000-hectare production areas in the province.
The Negros Prawn Producers Cooperative, which has about 60 members, has already advised local producers to maintain ideal temperature and water salinity level of their respective ponds.
Currently, Negros Occidental like General Santos City produces 30 percent of the country’s total annual prawn production next only to Central Luzon, with 40 percent. The province’s total production includes about 95-percent vannamei, or whiteleg shrimp, and 5-percent tiger prawn.
The prolonged dry spell has already brought P381.41 million worth of damage and production losses in crops and animals in Negros Occidental as of February, including P163.31 million in sugarcane, the main crop of the province.