Geographic Location of Processing Facilities 



A large proportion of the shrimp taJcen on the Atlantic and 

 Florida GuLf coasts is marketed fresh. The Central Gulf States account 

 for the bulk of the canned shrimp and dried shrimp packs. Processors 

 in the State of Texas have concentrated on freezing and breading 

 operations . 



Historically, the industry developed first along the south 

 Atlantic seaboard. This location made it possible to transport the 

 fresh product to a mass market at a low cost. 



The Central Gulf States have heavy landings of small shrimp 

 which lend themselves best to the canning and drying processes. Can- 

 ning and drying developed prior to freezing and breading. The industry 

 in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama started their development between 

 1870 and 1880. 



Freezing is particularly suited to Texas and Florida since the 

 trade in frozen products shows a preference for the larger shrimp landed 

 there. Freezing is a simpler processing method requiring less fixed 

 capital and labor than canning. 



In contrast to the other processes which had their origin in 

 efforts to introduce new preserving methods, breading has come into 

 existence in an attempt to meet consijmer demand. Essentially, the 

 breading process is an extension of freezing, and more often than not, 

 plants which bread also market the frozen headless product. 



The processing of shrimp waste into meal today is confined to 

 Louisiana and the Carolinas. 



Value of Manufactured Products 



Within a period of twenty-five years there has been a more than 

 ten-fold expansion in shrimp processing, as measured by the increase in 

 the value of manufactured shrimp products at the processor's level. 



Figure V - 50 shows, in addition to the increase in total value 

 of manufactured products from $6.1 million in 1930 to $109.5 million in 

 1956, that there has been a change in the relative importance of the 

 principal classes of manufactured products over the years. In 1930, 

 canned products accounted for as much as 82 percent, and in 1956 for 

 only 15 percent, of the total value of manufactured products. Frozen 

 packaged products show the reverse trend, rising from i^ to 83 percent 

 of total value. Other manufactured products that fall neither in the 



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