For the first six months of this year, Vietnam’s agricultural sector contracted due to severe weather, including drought and salinity intrusion in the Mekong Delta. These conditions have left crops in critical condition. However, shrimp production has proven its advantage despite unfavourable weather. If anything, shrimp farming has the opportunity to enhance production if sufficient controls are taken over breeding procedures.
"Shrimp breeding sources are often from three types: imported shrimp, local shrimp and shrimp of unclear origin. These shrimp are the reasons for low productivity and farming diseases." - Nguyen Huu Ninh, Director, Research Institute for Aquaculture 3
"Relying on imported shrimp for breeding will pose several difficulties. We’ll have to rely on imports, time and overseas partners. Quality is not guaranteed as sometimes conditions in Vietnam aren’t suitable for imported shrimp." - Tran Dinh Luan, Director, Soc Trang Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.
Some 680 thousand hectares of shrimp are currently farmed in the country. Demand for shrimp fry is high so that sufficient controls on breeding will make a big difference to shrimp production. According to participants at the conference, enhancing quality control on breeding shrimp is vital.
"Breeding is the first step and a highly important procedure to improve the productivity of shrimp farming. Vietnam surely has the potential to develop shrimp farming but we haven't tapped that full potential." - Nguyen Xuan Cuong, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development
According to experts, Vietnam has the potential to become a major exporter of shrimp. In order to do that, the country has to actively address issues to improve the small-scaled shrimp production sector.
