By: Omar Silva I Editor/Publisher

National Perspective Belize

www.nationalperspectivebz.com

Belize City: Wednesday 30th July 2025

📰 Feature Article Draft

After more than two years of paperwork, inspections, and back-and-forth negotiations, Belizean shrimp is finally cleared for export to Taiwan. Twelve aquaculture facilities have received the green light, opening access to one of Asia’s top seafood markets.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, this milestone will “unlock greater value through renewed investment and market-driven growth.” Taiwan imports over USD $349 million in shrimp annually — a tempting market for Belizean producers.

But beneath the headlines, questions linger.

🌏 Distance and Costs

Belize is nearly 13,000 kilometers from Taiwan. Shipping frozen shrimp that far — across the Pacific — will mean significant C.I.F. (Cost, Insurance, Freight) expenses. Those costs will eat into margins and could make Belizean shrimp less competitive compared to suppliers much closer to Taiwan, such as Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, and India — all major shrimp-exporting powerhouses.

“Belize can sell premium shrimp to Taiwan,” one regional seafood trader told National Perspective Belize, “but don’t expect to compete on volume or price. The freight alone could be a deal-breaker.”

🦐 Taiwan Exports Shrimp Too

An irony not lost on observers: Taiwan is itself a notable shrimp exporter. Companies like Gallant Ocean Group have been selling Taiwanese shrimp to global markets for years.

So why import shrimp at all? Because Taiwan imports high-end or specialty shrimp to satisfy its restaurants and supermarkets. In fact, some Caribbean seafood already has a small niche appeal in Asia — Belizean lobster tails are already sold in Taiwan. Belizean shrimp will likely follow that model: a boutique product for a small market segment, not a mass commodity.

📜 Why Now?

Belize and Taiwan have had diplomatic relations for over 35 years. So why is shrimp export only happening now?

• Belize’s shrimp industry was devastated by Early Mortality Syndrome (EMS) in 2015–2016, wiping out most production. Recovery has been slow, and only recently have farms regained capacity.
• The approval coincides with a political push: Taiwan is under pressure to prove that its relationships aren’t just about aid and handshakes. And Belize, facing criticism that Taiwan’s “dollar diplomacy” benefits elites more than farmers, can now show “market access” as a deliverable.

⚖️ Symbolism vs. Substance

The first shipments will likely be small — think boutique shipments for restaurants and high-end retailers, not containers feeding Taiwan’s mass market.

The real value here may be political optics:

• Belize gets to say: “Taiwan isn’t just writing checks, it’s opening markets.”
• Taiwan gets to say: “We’re rewarding loyal allies with trade opportunities.”

But will Belize’s shrimp farmers truly profit, or will this be another case where diplomatic headlines overshadow commercial reality?