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September 19, 2005
Katrina and the Shrimp Industry.
Quick question. What do you think will be the reaction of the Bush Administration to this:
One of the lesser-known casualties of Hurricane Katrina is likely to be the American shrimp industry, the world's second-largest insurance broker has warned.
Peter Jackson, managing director of Aon's consumer products, food and drinks arm, said: "The Gulf of Mexico provided about 30pc of the US shrimp market but the harvest has been completely devastated and will probably never recover."
He explained this could be the final nail in the coffin for the $2.5billion market, as last month's storm battered an industry already experiencing high transportation costs and competition from Asia.
Will they:
1) Remove the duties on Thai and other shrimp now that there is no domestic industry to protect?
2) Raise the duty so as to protect the industry while it rebuilds?
3) Do nothing as they won’t notice?
Your guess is as good as mine on this but I’d like 1) to happen (I’d like that to happen with or without the hurricane), fear 2) and expect 3).
September 19, 2005 in Food and Drink | Permalink
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Comments
4) Have Forrest Gump corner the market.
Posted by: Mark Holland | Sep 19, 2005 11:53:00 AM
If you have been following the US shrimp and catfish market you will see how they have tied themsleves in knots with definitions of what is / is not shrimp / catfish - essentially to provide protection from Pacific suppliers (whi hav ethemselves suffered terribly from the Christmas tsunami.
This is due all the time to declining production which is principally due to the shit that pours into the gulf from all the oil/gas processing.
As a result they will seek to make massive claims on their insurers for their beaten up boats. You can be sure that shrimp cocktails will survive by imports from elsewhere in the world - South America , new producers emerging in Vietnam, Cambodia, etc.,
Only a mug would eat an oyster from the Gulf. Pacific Caost oysters (not to mention New Zealand oysters from Bluff with an especially tangy and sitinctive taste) are available freely in almost any city fish restaurant throughout the US.
Gulf Oysters is PO boys food - just as they were in 15 C England - and as Maine lobster is today.(Ecept when the tourists arrive for in 8 weeks in the summer)
Due to the way Dubya has structered the payment of Federal funds ($62 Bn and rising) through FEMA to his cronies, the Gulf Coast has now been officially named - The Gold Coast. The fuckwit Guvernor of Miss. has called for Casinos to get help first because they bring in thenoturist and gambolling taxes respresent 50% of the State income.
Posted by: Edward Teague | Sep 19, 2005 2:04:04 PM
