Farmers are harvesting shrimp (Illustrative image. Source: VNA)Thedraft plan, which will be submitted to the Prime Minister for approval, looksto turn the shrimp sector into a big industrywith sustainable development that is adaptable to climate change and friendlyto the environment.
At the same time, the plan hopes to improve thequality, production efficiency and competitiveness of shrimp products, benefitingfarmers, businesses and the country’s economy.
The shrimp sector is projected to rake in 4.5-5billion USD in export turnover and record an annual average growth of 9.5-12percent in 2017-2020.
In 2021-2025, a hi-tech shrimp industry andlarge-scale eco-shrimp farming areas will take shape, working towards the goalsof 10 billion USD in export turnover and an average growth of 12-14 percent peryear.
The total area used for brackish water shrimp farming shouldreach 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 from2020-2025.
Areas will be zoned off for hi-tech brackishwater shrimp raising, concentrating in the Mekong Delta and central coastalregions.
Bac Lieu is designated to be a hi-tech brackishshrimp farming centre in the Mekong Delta and the country, while thesouthernmost province of Ca Mau will be built into an eco-shrimp breeding cradle.
Giant freshwater prawns will be mainly raised in the MekongDelta, whilst lobsters will be farmed in central coastal provinces of KhanhHoa, Phu Yen and Binh Dinh.
Towards those goals, the Ministry of Agricultureand Rural Development pledged to improve irrigation and transport systems at large-scaleshrimp farming areas, while encouraging small-scale production facilities to joinin cooperatives to create large material production areas.
The ministry will invest in research to produce qualitybreeding shrimps and develop the domestic feed industry.
The application of modern technologies in shrimp farming and processingwill be encouraged to ensure food safety and foreign customers’ demands.
At the same time, the ministry will push forward surveys offoreign markets and trade promotion activities to expand markets for Vietnameseshrimps.-VNA
