Vietnamplus

The Mekong Delta province of Ben Tre has adopted various farming models to adapt to saltwater intrusion and improve farmers’ livelihoods.

The transition to organic farming has emerged as an effective solution for the Mekong Delta province of Bac Lieu to cut costs and promote sustainable agricultural production.

With a 65-km long coastline running through three districts and a special economic zone (SEAZ) of nearly 20,000 sq.km, the southern province of Ben Tre has advantages for developing the sea-based economy.

Shrimp exports are projected to increase by 20 percent on-year in April, the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) has said.

The southern province of Ba Ria – Vung Tau is carrying out several policies and applying technological advances into production to develop aquaculture sustainably.

The production value of aquatic products in the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang increased by 4 percent to top 32.6 trillion VND (1.4 million USD) this year, despite the serious impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

There are now many favourable conditions for shrimp export, including growing prices - an important factor for processors and exporters to swiftly recover after a long social distancing period.

Aquaculture has grown rapidly in Asia in the past three decades with the main impetus for the industry’s surge being the stagnant wild fish catch, which has leveled off at a little above 80 million tonnes since the 1980s, according to Japanese economists.

Despite the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, shrimp exports have remained strong this year, also causing local retail prices to rise in the Mekong Delta.

The Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang is working to grant identification codes to all local brackish water shrimp farms from now to September.

The Mekong Delta province of Bac Lieu plans to expand super - intensive shrimp farming as it is sustainable and offers high production value.

The Mekong Delta province of Bac Lieu is building a high-tech shrimp farming area with the aim of becoming a centre of the country’s shrimp industry.

The Mekong Delta province of Long An targets at least 60,000 tonnes of aquaculture production this year, about 2,000 tonnes higher than in 2020.

The districts of Go Cong Dong and Tan Phu Dong, which form key saline and brackish water aquaculture areas in the Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang, are targeting to have more than 10,500 ha of water surface area serving aquatic farming, mostly shrimp, this year.

Vietnam is expected to become one of the world’s top shrimp producers thanks to its positive response to the COVID-19 pandemic and its modern shrimp farming models, according to industry insiders.

Vietnam has 30 provinces raising tiger prawn and whiteleg shrimp, of which the Mekong delta province of Ca Mau is leading in both the farming area and output. Ca Mau has chosen shrimp farming as a key industry prioritized for development.

The southernmost province of Ca Mau is applying itself to developing intensive and super-intensive shrimp farming along with alternative shrimp - rice culture and integrated shrimp - forest cultivation models under international standards.

Farmers in the Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang are raising the fry of high - value aquatic species on an area of more than 6,000ha this year, up marginally from last year, according to the province’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

An environment monitoring project for mangrove aquaculture (AQUAM) in Ca Mau was kicked off on January 15 by the Mekong Delta province's Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Australia’s University of Queensland and the Greenfield Consulting and Development Ltd (GFD).

Kien Giang, the country’s largest rice producer, has more than 7,140ha of ‘mua’ rice crop damaged by 30-70 percent because of salinity, according to the province’s Plant Cultivation and Protection Sub-department.