Fisheries Ministry officials are urging Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta provinces to become major players in the region’s seafood industry through intensive farming, rotational cultivation and natural or mixed farming, particularly for shrimp and tra and basa catfish.

In a bid to promote aquaculture development, both the ministries of Fisheries and Agriculture and Rural Development, intend to introduce new criteria for managing and establishing fish farms, writes Vietnam News.

The Fisheries Ministry also plans to build research centres specialising in the development, preservation and supply of seafood stocks.

To ensure the quality of the delta’s seafood industry the ministry has also prompted regional provinces to invest in new processing technologies and to strengthen food safety controls.

It said investment should be concentrated on upgrades to processing plants in Ca Mau, Soc Trang, Can Tho and Tra Vinh.

This year Bac Lieu Province increased its seafood output by 59 per cent, while An Giang increased its output by 11 per cent, Tra Vinh 25.4 per cent, Tien Giang 15.87 per cent and Kien Giang 25 per cent.

Most Cuu Long Delta provinces are expected to surpass this year’s export targets. An Giang Province alone is expected to surpass its target by 85.2 per cent, worth an estimated USD 65.8 million.

The director of the Ca Mau Fishery Service, Huynh Viet Khai, attributed the gains to a recent restructuring of the economy away from rice-only farming.

Khai said the move has helped delta farmers double and even triple their annual returns.

The rapid development of aquaculture in the region has had other knock-on effects. Shrimp and fish feed production companies and fish stock suppliers have all benefited from the export boom.

In the next three years the delta provinces hope to expand the amount of land given up to aquaculture to 700,000ha, leading to possible yields of around 1.7 million tonnes of seafood, estimated at USD 1.5 billion.

By Karen Myles
FIS.com