Shrimp Processing Line — cost, specification & RFQ guide
Head-on, HLSO, PD/PUD, PDTO, cooked and value-added shrimp lines with IQF.
Request matched quotesShort answer
How much does a shrimp processing line cost?
- Head-on to HLSO yield:
- 60–68% depending on size and season
- HLSO to PD yield:
- 83–90% (mechanical peeling at the lower end)
- Labour:
- 20–60 workers per t/h in peeled and value-added lines
- Ice demand:
- 0.8–1.5 t ice per tonne raw shrimp
- Power:
- 150–350 kWh per tonne with IQF freezing
Throughput and indicative CAPEX bands
Indicative equipment supply only (EXW/FOB). Building, civil works, duties and local installation are additional.
| Scale | Throughput | Indicative CAPEX | Typical scope |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry HLSO | 1–2 t/day | USD 60k–150k | Grading, washing, manual deheading, plate or blast freezing, packing. |
| Commercial | 2–5 t/day | USD 150k–500k | Mechanical grader, chill tanks, IQF tunnel, glazing, metal detection. |
| Export plant | 5–25 t/day | USD 1M–6M | Peeling machines, cooker/chiller, spiral IQF, MAP, full lab and CIP. |
| Integrated value-added | 25 t/day+ | USD 6M–20M+ | Breading, tempura, skewering, retail packing, on-site cold store. |
What a complete scope must cover
Reception & chill kill
Ice slurry kill tanks, sulphite dosing (if used), weighing, first grading.
Grading & sizing
Roller or vision grader to count-per-pound bands — grading accuracy directly sets your sales price.
Deheading & peeling
Manual deheading tables or mechanical peelers; peeler yield is highly species and size sensitive.
Cooking & chilling
Steam or water cooker with spiral chiller, controlled core-temperature validation for HACCP.
Freezing
IQF spiral or tunnel, block plate freezers, glazing tunnel and hardening.
Packing & inspection
Weighing, MAP or vacuum, metal detection, X-ray for premium export, labelling and traceability.
Machine, line, turnkey plant or EPC scope?
Compare offers at the same responsibility level. A low machine price is not comparable with a line that includes controls, utilities, installation and performance acceptance.
| Scope | Typically includes | Buyer retains | Use when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single machine | One defined operation and controls | Interfaces, utilities, installation and line balance | The factory and upstream/downstream process already exist |
| Complete line | Connected process equipment, controls and throughput duty | Building, major utilities, cold store and permits unless stated | One product flow needs a measurable output guarantee |
| Turnkey plant | Line, utilities, installation, commissioning and training as contracted | Land, approvals, raw material and items expressly excluded | The buyer wants fewer package interfaces |
| EPC scope | Engineering, procurement and construction coordination under an agreed contract | Owner decisions, financing, permits and operational inputs | Civil works and multiple technical packages must be integrated |
Selection criteria
- •Peeler yield guarantee for your count size and species (vannamei vs monodon differ)
- •IQF freezer capacity matched to peak harvest day, not average day
- •Export approval design: US FDA, EU establishment number, China GACC requirements
- •Sulphite / additive handling and residue control if your market requires it
- •Cold store capacity and cold-chain plan from plant gate to port
Costly mistakes
- •Sizing the plant on annual tonnes instead of the peak harvest week
- •Buying peelers before validating yield on your own count sizes
- •Under-sizing ice and chill water so quality drops before processing starts
- •Leaving effluent treatment out of scope in a jurisdiction that requires it for the export licence
Put this in your RFQ
- •State species, count-size mix and target product forms (HLSO, PD, PDTO, cooked)
- •Require a documented yield test on your own raw material during FAT or commissioning
- •Include ice plant, chill water, cold store and effluent in the same tender
- •Ask for export-market compliance documentation as a deliverable
Size it before you tender
Shrimp Processing Line FAQ
Request shrimp processing line quotes
Send the species, product format, peak throughput, labour plan, automation target, hygiene standard, utilities, installation boundary and cold-chain interface. FishMatch reviews the brief and seeks matched responses; timing depends on scope and supplier interest, and identities stay confidential until you approve contact.
Other processing buyer guides
Before you request quotes
Equipment scope
What equipment does a commercial aquaculture project actually need?
A grow-out project typically needs holding infrastructure (tanks, ponds or cages), water movement (pumps, piping, valves), aeration or oxygenation, water treatment appropriate to the system, feeding equipment, grading and handling gear, monitoring and alarms, and backup power. RAS adds mechanical filtration, biofiltration, degassing, disinfection and tighter process control. Hatchery and processing scopes are specified separately.
Which equipment should be specified before requesting quotes?
Specify the items whose sizing changes everything downstream: design biomass and stocking density, water exchange or recirculation rate, oxygen demand at peak temperature, and installed pumping head. With those four fixed, suppliers can quote aeration, filtration, pumps and power on the same basis. FishMatch calculators produce these figures and attach them to the RFQ.
Can equipment be sourced in stages?
Yes, and phased procurement is common. The usual sequence is water supply and holding infrastructure, then aeration and treatment, then automation and monitoring, then processing and cold chain. Staging works when interfaces and capacity headroom are defined at the start; otherwise later phases force replacement rather than addition.