Harvesting shrimps at a farm in the northern province of Quang Ninh (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam posted growth in both aquaticcatch and aquaculture output in the first quarter of 2018, partly thanks togood weather, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development(MARD).
In the first three months, aquatic catch wasestimated at about 775,800 tonnes, up 4 percent year on year. The volumeincludes 740,800 tonnes of seafood and 35,000 tonnes fished in freshwater,respectively rises of 4 percent and 2.9 percent.
Notably, more than 6,400 tonnes of oceanic tuna,a major foreign currency earner, were caught by Khanh Hoa, Binh Dinh and PhuYen – the three key provinces in tuna fishing.
Meanwhile, aquaculture output was about 611,000tonnes, up 6 percent from a year earlier, said the MARD.
[Infographics: Vietnam: Aquatic export eyes new record in 2018]
About 230,200 tonnes of tra fish, a keyaquaculture product, was produced in the Mekong Delta from January to March, up5.1 percent year on year.
Brackish water shrimp farming enjoyed morefavourable weather conditions than the same period last year, resulting in highproduction. Output nationwide was about 82,500 tonnes, increasing by 7.6percent.
The MARD also said through March, aquaticexports reached 1.7 billion USD, up 11.5 percent annually.
Imports of aquatic products hit 423 million USDin the three months, a 32.4 percent year-on-year increase.-VNA
VNA
