Grouper prices fell below the cost line this year, the breeding situation continues to be pessimistic

2012 was a very bleak year for grouper. The reasons are as follows: first, the increase in culture volume, which some operators estimate to nearly double in 2012; second, the low labor and feed costs of imported Chinese mainland from Taiwan and Southeast Asia, especially in Malaysia, which have a great impact on the mainland grouper; and third, the poor economic situation in 2012, coupled with the country's increasingly stringent controls on eating and drinking with public funds, resulting in a serious decline in consumption.

The supply of grouper seedlings is mainly from Hainan, Lingshui, Sanya and other Hainan western line seedling farms, culture areas are mainly distributed in Hainan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian is relatively few. Due to the suitable water temperature in Hainan, green spots and pearl gentian can be planted all year round, and the mainland is generally released after the Qingming Festival. Gentian has hatched eggs from Qingming Festival to September, and more than 5 centimeters of gentian are traded all year round.

In terms of profits, the seedling industry was OK in 2012, but the finished fish was at a loss, and the average price of grouper fell by 30-40% in 2012. The price of green spot is 28-30 yuan / jin, and the cost price is 20 yuan / jin. Taking into account the survival rate, farmers are at a loss. Pearl gentian more than 6 jin specifications 28-30 yuan / jin, 1-2 jin specifications 40 yuan / jin (1-2 jin specifications suitable for household consumption), barely maintain a profitable state. The price of 50 yuan / jin of tiger spot is the same as the cost, and it is also in a state of small profit or even loss.

1-2 jin of pearl gentian, about 70 yuan / jin in late January 2012, dropped to about 50 yuan / jin this year compared with the same period last year. The price of green spot has dropped from 46 yuan / jin to less than 30 yuan / jin in the same period last year, tiger spot has dropped from 90 yuan / jin to 46 yuan / jin, gentian has dropped from 58 yuan / jin to 38 yuan / jin, and the high-priced Dongxing spot has dropped from 140 yuan / jin in January last year to 105 yuan / jin this year.

Seedling prices tend to rise at the end of 2012, with an increase of about 40%. For example, the price of 3 cm green spot is 0.5-0.6 yuan per tail from August to September, rising to about 1 yuan per tail at the end of January 2013; 2.5-3 cm pearl gentian 1.3-1.6 yuan per tail in August and 3.5-3.6 yuan per tail at the end of January 2013. Compared with depressed fish prices, egg prices are relatively stable. Green spot egg 3000 yuan / kg, pearl gentian egg 20, 000 yuan / kg, tiger spot egg 7000-8000 yuan / kg, gentian egg 70, 000 yuan / kg. Egg price generally rises after the cold weather, and the beginning of spring is the time when the egg price is high.

Grouper consumption is generally due to the Spring Festival consumption pull higher prices in the beginning of spring, June-October due to the impact of sea bass and other commercial fish market price is low, generally has a price change range of less than 10 yuan. In this year's downturn, there is no upward trend in prices near the Spring Festival.

Many operators are not optimistic about the price trend of grouper in 2013, thinking that the price level of 2012 will be maintained at most, or even further lower. First, the adjustment of national policy will continue, and second, the stock of ponds is too large. One farmer said that he had a stock of more than 300,000 jin of fish, and the stock in 2012 is bound to affect sales in 2013. When the advisors see the situation clearly, the most important thing is to seek stability and avoid blind development. Some operators still maintain confidence, which stems from the periodic fluctuations of the grouper itself. according to the law of previous years, there will be an improvement in a bad year.

At present, the main modes of grouper culture are indoor cement ponds, soil ponds and cages. Among them, indoor culture is generally stocked with seedlings of more than 5 centimeters, soil ponds with stocking specifications of about 10 centimeters and cages of 15 centimeters. The cost of the earth pond is small, and the indoor cost is the highest. Due to the high density, few diseases and the controllability of the culture environment, indoor culture is considered to have a lot of room for development. Some operators recommend mixed culture of fish and shrimp, which can reduce shrimp diseases while improving feed utilization.

As far as varieties are concerned, industry insiders estimate that pearl gentian culture will further increase, green spots will decline accordingly, gentian will continue to be optimistic. Mouse spot appeared in the line of sight of grouper industry as a new species in 2012, it is reported that high-price mouse spot is more delicate, and the requirements of culture management are high, while some manufacturers have introduced rat spot, the price is more than 100 to 200 yuan / jin, the effect is still good. (Wen / China Fisheries Channel Guo Jinfeng)