Shrimp variety to be major export earner

Thien Ly

 

White-leg shrimp are harvested in the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta province of Dong Thap. — VNA/VNS Photo Anh Tuan

SOC TRANG — It took only 70 days for farmer Tran Van Phat of Ben Tre Province to earn VND121 million (US$ 5,764) from raising white-leg shrimp. For Nguyen Van Buu of Soc Trang Province, it was only 75 days. He turned a profit of VND350 million ($16,811).

It's no wonder that farmers around the country are vying to become major breeders of white-leg shrimps.

After hearing that farming the shrimp was easy and highly profitable, Phat decided to raise the species, which is in great demand overseas.

This year, on his farm in Binh Dai District's Dinh Trung Commune, he raised 150,000 white-leg shrimps on a water-surface area of 2,000 sq. metres.

After only 70 days, he harvested 2,300 kilos of shrimp and sold them for VND105,000 per kilo.

"Although it is a new industry in Viet Nam, white-leg shrimp farming has developed rapidly in most coastal localities, thanks to high profits," said Nguyen Huu Hung, director of the Research Institute for Aquaculture No III at a conference held late last week in Soc Trang Province.

As a result, the water surface for farming the shrimp has expanded significantly, from nothing in 2000 to 25,000 ha in 2010. Output rose from 10,000 tonnes in 2002 to 150,000 tonnes last year.

"White-leg shrimp output represents up to 30 per cent of the country's total farm-raised shrimp output," Hung said. "This shrimp is going to become a main export earner of Viet Nam."

Although black-tiger shrimp remains the key export item for the country's seafood sector, exports of white-leg shrimp by year-end are expected to account for up to 50 per cent of the country's shrimp export value, estimated at US$1.8 or 1.9 billion, according to Truong Dinh Hoe, general secretary of Viet Nam of Seafood Exporters and Possessors (VASEP).

Last year the country exported white-leg shrimp, earning about US$600 million, accounting for one-third of the country's total shrimp total.

Nguyen Huy Dien, head of the Department of Aquaculture (DA), said that farmers around the world had favoured white-leg shrimp because of high profits.

"The species adapts well to the environment, while the time needed to raise them is short. There is great demand from the overseas market," Dien said.

Farmers in Viet Nam, especially in the central region, are all competing with one another to raise the shrimp.

The area used to raise the shrimp takes up 72 per cent of the local water surface in the central region, he said.

In the Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta, farmers in most coastal provinces cultivate white-leg shrimp, particularly in the provinces of Kien Giang, Soc Trang, Bac Lieu and Ca Mau, which have the largest white-leg shrimp farming areas.

"Viet Nam has enough natural conditions for raising white-leg shrimp. After nearly a decade, our farmers have also learned a lot of technical knowledge and have experience in this industry," Dien said.

Pham Xuan Tinh, head of the National Agriculture Extension Centre, said the shrimp farms were on an industrial scale but activities were not co-ordinated.

The industry needs between 40 and 50 billion baby shrimp per year for farming, but the number of high-quality breeders produced domestically meets only 30 per cent (15 billion) of demand.

To meet demand, many breeders bought shrimp without clear origins so their quality is low. This has led to outbreaks of disease among shrimp.

Because of this, in 2010 the shrimp farming industry suffered losses estimated at more than VND1 trillion.

Soaring prices for feed and veterinary medicines have also prevented the development of white-leg shrimp farming.

New targets

The domestic fisheries industry has set a target of producing 200,000 tonnes of white-leg shrimps (litopenaeus Vannamei) next year.

It also will institute several measures to ensure the sustainable development of the country's fledging industry, according to Dien.

So far this year, the industry's white-leg shrimp output has reached 150,000 tonnes, and is expected to soar to 160,000 tonnes by the year-end.

"To realise the target, the fisheries ministry's DA aims to adjust the country's master plan for farming white-leg shrimp," he said. "The national output targets will be changed to reflect the use of available resources at localities and meet market needs, while protecting the environment."

Localities will be asked to submit reports to the department about farming capacity as well as demand for baby shrimp and feed.

This data will be used to draw up a master plan for development of the white-leg shrimp farming in 2012 and beyond.

"The department has working teams responsible for checking all breeding-shrimp production establishments nationwide to collect information on production capacity as well as breeding quality. This would ensure supplies of high-quality baby shrimp for the next crops," Dien said.

The Aquaculture Department plans to hold a major conference, with the participation of farmers and all companies involved in production of feed for aquaculture. The aim is to seek measures that can improve feed quality, and to cut prices.

According to a report from the Department of Aquaculture's Testing Centre, the quality of fish feed was lower than what many companies have previously reported.

Closer control over the use of probiotics in aquaculture will also be carried out to reduce environmental pollution.

"Following a request from the fisheries ministry, the aquaculture department has recommended that farmers carry out intensive farming. We will continue to ask farmers to use this method to ensure a stable output and facilitate environmental management," Dien said.

Tinh of the Southern Agriculture Extension Centre also stressed the need to control the environment in aquaculture, saying that it was the most effective way to ensure success.

"Development of white-leg shrimp farming is necessary to diversify export products, but authorised agencies must have measures to balance the cultivation of white-leg and black-tiger shrimps to reduce risks," he said. — VNS