Can vannamei shrimp ( Litopenaeus vannamei ) revitalise Bangladesh’s dying shrimp industry?

Commercial cultivation of Litopenaeus vannamei , popularly known as white leg shrimp or vannamei shrimp, has significantly boosted the global shrimp industry over the last 10 years. Higher yield potential, increasing market demand, shorter cultivation cycles and less vulnerability to diseases prompted the major shrimp-producing countries to introduce Litopenaeus vannamei . However, as of today, no academic sources are available supporting the commercial farming of Litopenaeus vannamei in Bangladesh—an important actor in the global shrimp industry. In recent years, Bangladesh’s shrimp industry has already started to lose global competitiveness due to the deficient production (0.0347 tonne/ha) of traditionally cultivated black tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon ), which is highly susceptible to white sport syndrome diseases. This opinion article aims to spark a policy stimulation justifying the immediate policy measures to introduce high-yielding Litopenaeus vannamei species to revitalize the declining shrimp industry in Bangladesh.