Aquaculture production picks up in May

An oyster farm in Van Don district, Quang Ninh province (Source: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) - Vietnam’s aquaculture output reached 370,000 tonnes in May, a year-on-year increase of 3.3 percent, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

The total output for the first five months this year was 1.235 million tonnes, up 2.4 percent year on year.

In the period, the total output of Tra fish in the Mekong Delta provinces hit 465,900 tonnes, up 11.1 percent from the same period last year, while aquaculture area was estimated at 3,092 hectares, falling 6.2 percent. The sharpest increase of Tra fish output was recorded in Can Tho city, by 50.1 percent, followed by An Giang, by 11.9 percent, and Dong Thap, 3.2 percent.

The price of Tra fish slightly dropped in May, to around 24,000 – 26,000 VND per kilogram. The price of Tra fish foy also fell, ranging from 27,000 – 50,000 VND (1.2 - 2.2 USD) per kg.

The nation’s total shrimp raising area was estimated at 597,000 hectares, up 6.8 percent from the same period last year, with total output topping 144,000 tonnes, increasing by 46.2 percent. Shrimp prices ranged between 85,000 VND – 340,000 VND (3.7 – 15 USD) per kg.

In the period, the output of fish catch topped 1.327 million tonnes, up 5.2 percent year on year, of which 1.264 million tonnes were caught at sea, up 5.5 percent. The total output included 311,000 tonnes caught in May, according to the Ministry.

Thanks to favourable weather, fishermen in the central provinces of Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri and Thua Thien – Hue took longer offshore fishing trips.

The total output of tuna hit 10,050 tonnes, up 5.8 percent year on year, including 2,789 tonnes caught in Phu Yen, dropping 5.2 percent; 5,296 tonnes in Binh Dinh, and 2,092 tonnes in Khanh Hoa, up 14.9 percent and 6.1 percent, respectively.