It includes 16,240 tonnes from industrial and semi-industrial farming, 40,838tonnes from shrimp-rice farming and 5,922 tonnes from improved-extensivefarming.
Three main varieties are farmed: black-tiger shrimp, white-legged shrimp andblue-clawed prawn.
Nguyen Van Tam, director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and RuralDevelopment, said the department has directed local authorities to monitorshrimp farming to ensure shrimp diseases remain under control.
Relevant agencies and local authorities should closely follow the environmentalsituation to take proactive measures in case of saline intrusion during theongoing dry season, he said.
The province should speed up agricultural expansion, promote the use oftechnology and advanced farming models and closely control production andprovide shrimp for breeding, he said.
It plans to restructure the sector based on the large shrimp farming model toadd value and link seafood processing and export companies with shrimp farmers.
It also plans to upgrade irrigation systems toprovide water to meet the needs of shrimp farmers.
The province fisheries sector will regularly monitor the environment anddisease outbreaks in prawn farming areas to quickly warn farmers.
Individuals and companies are regularly trained in various shrimp farming modelsand provided advanced support.
The fisheries sector has warned shrimp farmers they should inform authoritiesif there are symptoms of diseases to prevent large outbreaks.
In the first two months the province produced more than 4,500 tonnes of shrimp,nearly 36 percent higher than in the same period last year.
According to the department, the province could exceed this year’s targetthanks to conducive weather and environmental conditions for farming shrimp.
Kien Giang has a 200km coast that is ideal for developing the fisheries sector,particularly brackish-water prawn farming.
Of the delta’s 77,000ha of rice fields where shrimp-rice farming is done, theprovince accounts for 20 percent.
In 2016, the province’s brackish-water shrimp output topped 56,800 tonnes,nearly 9 percent up year-on-year, according to the department.
Shrimp-rice farming not only fetches farmers extra incomes but also helps themadapt to climate change, which has been causing increased saltwater intrusionin recent years. - VNA