An intensive shrimp farming model in Hoa Tan commune of Ca Mau city, Ca Mau province (Photo: VNA) Ca Mau (VNA) - Shrimp exports and prices in the southernmost provinceof Ca Mau re showing signs of recovery after being heavily affectedby the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the provincial People’sCommittee, the province’s shrimp export turnover during the first four monthsof the year saw a 20 percent drop year-on-year due to COVID-19. But shrimpexport turnover is now only 10 percent lower compared to the same periodlast year.
Since shrimp exports are pickingup, the price of shrimp material is also rising. For instance, white-leg shrimp(the 100 shrimp per kilo variety) is being sold for 86,000 VND (3.7 USD)per kilo, which is 20 percent higher compared to mid-March.
The price for giant tiger shrimp, while stilllower than before COVID-19, has seen an increase of 10,000 – 15,000 VND perkilo compared to mid-March.
Duong Vu Nam, Deputy Director of theprovincial Department of Industry and Trade, said that several markets forshrimp such as China, the Republic of Korea, Japan and some European countriesare relaxing their COVID-19 prevention measures and resuming their imports.
Meanwhile, large shrimp suppliers such asIndia and Indonesia have been heavily impacted by the pandemic, whichmay lower global shrimp supply and provide an opportunity for Ca Mau’sshrimp industry.
To facilitate export growth quickly andsustainably, Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Tien Hai hasinstructed departments and authorities to push for more productive farming models andcarry out demand and market price forecasts to help farmers withproduction.
Businesses should resume trade activitiesquickly with the countries that have controlled the pandemic early,and find new markets as opposed to waiting for existing ones whereCOVID-19 is still active, Hai said.
Ca Mau has one of the largest aquaculturefarming areas in Vietnam, at around 302,000 hectares, and exports nearly 1.2 billionUSD worth of shrimp annually./.
VNA
