Illustrative image (Source: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Minister of Agriculture and RuralDevelopment (MARD) Nguyen Xuan Cuong has asked localities and enterprises todeploy measures to optimise opportunities for the shrimp sector to achieve thegoal of 4.1-4.2 billion USD in export in 2019.
The minister requested localities and businesses to promptlyimplement the plans for the shrimp sector in 2019, while strengtheningconnections in shrimp value chain, considering it as the key to reduce cost andimprove quality and value.
He stressed the need to control the quality of the valuechain from breeding shrimp, feed, environmental treatment products toproduction and processing stages to meet the demand of domestic and foreignmarkets, enhancing the competitiveness of Vietnamese shrimps.
Businesses should pay greater attention to processing,optimising the capacity of existing factories to create products with highadded value, while continuing expanding shrimp markets, he said.
He asked agencies of the ministry to continue coordinatingclosely together in supporting the sustainable development of the sector.
He assigned the Directorate of Fisheries to summarise the opinionsand recommendations of businesses for deploying timely solutions. The Departmentof Agro-Product Processing and Market Development was asked to seek more marketsfor shrimps, especially finding ways to boost official export of shrimp to the Chinesemarket.
According to the MARD, in 2018, shrimp production fetched762,000 tonnes, up 6.3 percent over 2017, ensuring materials for exportprocessing.
In 2019, the sector is predicted to face a drop in exportdue to slower demand and unfavourable weather conditions that affect theproduction, as well as the US-China trade tension.
However, experts held that the sector would overcomedifficulties in the year thanks to the determination of the political systemand the effectiveness of signed free trade agreements.-VNA
VNA
