Action plan drafted to develop shrimp sector

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is collecting opinions to finalise a national action plan for shrimp development through 2025.

The draft plan, which will be submitted to the Prime Minister for approval, looks to turn the shrimp sector into a big industry with sustainable development that is adaptable to climate change and friendly to the environment.

At the same time, the plan hopes to improve the quality, production efficiency and competitiveness of shrimp products, benefiting farmers, businesses and the country’s economy.

The shrimp sector is projected to rake in US$4.5-US$5 billion in export turnover and record an annual average growth of 9.5%-12% in 2017-2020.

In 2021-2025, a hi-tech shrimp industry and large-scale eco-shrimp farming areas will take shape, working towards the goals of US$10 billion in export turnover and an average growth of 12%-14%t per year.

The total area used for brackish water shrimp farming should reach 710,000ha with total output of 850,000 tonnes of shrimp during 2017-2020, and expand to 750,000ha and 1.1 million tonnes of output in the period from 2020-2025.

Areas will be zoned off for hi-tech brackish water shrimp raising, concentrating in the Mekong Delta and central coastal regions.

Bac Lieu is designated to be a hi-tech brackish shrimp farming centre in the Mekong Delta and the country, while the southernmost province of Ca Mau will be built into an eco-shrimp breeding cradle.

Giant freshwater prawns will be mainly raised in the Mekong Delta, whilst lobsters will be farmed in central coastal provinces of Khanh Hoa, Phu Yen and Binh Dinh.

Towards those goals, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development pledged to improve irrigation and transport systems at large-scale shrimp farming areas, while encouraging small-scale production facilities to join in cooperatives to create large material production areas.

The ministry will invest in research to produce quality breeding shrimps and develop the domestic feed industry.

The application of modern technologies in shrimp farming and processing will be encouraged to ensure food safety and foreign customers’ demands.

At the same time, the ministry will push forward surveys of foreign markets and trade promotion activities to expand markets for Vietnamese shrimps.