Vietnam eyes 7,000 ha of shrimp farming on sandy land by 2025

Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam aims to expand shrimp aquaculture on sandy land to 7,000 hectares by 2025, produce some 110,000 tonnes per crop, and ensure 70 percent of these areas have developed infrastructure, according to the Directorate of Fisheries at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Shrimp aquaculture on sandy land will help the country use unproductive sandy land along coastal areas to cultivate high-value brackish shrimp, bringing more jobs and economic benefits to local residents, the directorate said.

The directorate plans to only raise shrimp in areas with sufficient surface water to reduce the use of ground water, which is limited in central Vietnam. It will also take into account effects of climate change and apply advanced technology to save fresh water.

The state agency will encourage private sector investment in shrimp farming on sandy land to develop self-contained shrimp ecosystems.

It will formulate a master plan to facilitate shrimp growing on sandy land in central provinces as part of the national action plan to develop the shrimp industry in Vietnam by 2025 and invest to develop infrastructure for areas of large-scale shrimp production.

In addition, it will set tight controls on production input – such as breeds and feeds – environment management, disease prevention, and food safety, and encourage cooperation between shrimp growers, input suppliers and distributors.

In 2016, Vietnam had more than 3,700 hectares of shrimp farming on sandy land across 14 central provinces, generating some 41,700 tonnes per crop. Binh Thuan had the most area, accounting for 28 percent of the country’s total. It was followed by Ninh Thuan (18 percent), Phu Yen (16 percent) and Thua Thien-Hue (14 percent).

Quang Nam produced the highest yield of more than 20 tonnes per hectare, followed by Quang Ngai with 17 tonnes per hectare.-VNA