Can Tho (VNA) – A roundtable dialogueon increasing added value of Vietnamese shrimps took place in the Mekong Delta cityof Can Tho on June 21with the participation of more than 100 businesspeople andfarmers in the region.

The shrimp sector plays a very importantrole in Vietnam’s agriculture, bringing home over 3 billion USD from exportsand creating 2 million jobs each year. However, shrimp farming in the countryhas a small scale, lacks linkages and suffers higher production costs than thatof its main competitors, such as India and Thailand.

According to the Vietnam Association ofSeafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), in the first five months of 2017, thecountry’s shrimp exports grew just 4 percent from the same period last year, earningover 1.14 billion USD. During the period, Vietnamese shrimp exports recoveredin the markets of Japan, the EU and Republic of Korea, while witnessing drops inthe US, China and Australia.

Dr Tran Dinh Luan, Deputy General Directorof the Fisheries Department, said his department has carried out a range ofmeasures to foster the sector’s sustainable development, including theapplication of science-technology and suitable farming models in response toclimate change.

Localities were also requested toincrease environmental observation and management so as to grasp timelyinformation about the environment, diseases and solutions, thus helping farmerstake prompt response.

Christian Henckes, Programme Director ofthe Integrated Coastal Management Programme (ICMP) at the German Society forInternational Cooperation (GIZ), said import markets of Vietnamese shrimps careabout not only product quality but also the entire production process, includingsustainable and environmentally-friendly factors.

He told participants that GIZ is workingclosely with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and Departmentsof Agriculture and Rural Development to turn shrimp breeding into a modern andhigh-productivity industry not only in the Mekong Delta but also in the wholecountry.

Participants said it is high time forVietnam to optimize the sector’s advantages by publicising input materials,improving the quality of shrimp varieties and feed, and building a nationaltrademark.

At the dialogue, delegates also maderecommendations to an action plan to develop the shrimp sector through 2025,which is expected to turn Vietnam into an environmentally-friendly shrimpproduction hub in the world.-VNA