Intensive shrimp farming area facing opportunities and challenges

In the coastal area of ​​Vinh Chau, there are many intensive and semi-intensive shrimp ponds with the largest area in the region. Currently, white leg shrimp (TCT) has entered the stocking season. According to Soc Trang Fisheries Sub-Department, the time schedule for stocking TCT shrimp seed is from January 19 to September 30, 2018; from April 1, 2018 to August 30, 2018 in the stocking season of black tiger shrimp. In 2018, Soc Trang plans to cultivate 68,600ha of aquaculture. In which, brackish water shrimp is 45,500 ha (black tiger shrimp 17,900 ha and white shrimp 27,600 ha) and aims to achieve a total production of 239,330 tons (110,000 tons brackish water shrimp: 19,000 tons black tiger shrimp, 91,000 tons white shrimp).

Soc Trang Fisheries Sub-Department said it would regularly update the farming situation, environmental developments, weather and disease warnings; At the same time, it is recommended that shrimp farmers continue to apply and make appropriate improvements to the two-stage shrimp farming models, the microbiological application model, the combined farming model of tilapia/barramundi/mullet or All-male giant freshwater prawn with TCT or black tiger shrimp, especially the biodiversification model in ponds.

This year’s shrimp crop, Mekong Delta shrimp farmers are optimistic about the Government’s policy to consider this as a priority investment area and shrimp as a national product. In order for the shrimp farming area to develop in both width and depth, the investment in infrastructure (water supply and drainage system, electricity, traffic roads…) is the first thing; followed by shrimp farmers who are looking for capital policy and technical support.

Currently, in Soc Trang, the price of TCT shrimp at purchasing agents: 50 shrimp/kg about 120,000 VND/kg; 60 pcs/kg price is 110,000 VND/kg and 100 pcs/kg price is 95,000 VND/kg. On average, these prices only decreased by 5,000-10,000 VND/kg compared to the month before Tet. Meanwhile, black tiger shrimp has little supply, large shrimp 20-40 shrimp/kg are at high price, frozen type costs 170,000-290,000 VND/kg; an increase of 20,000-50,000 VND/kg.

Although the market price is gradually improving, shrimp farmers are not only worried, technically well prepared, seed to hit the season but also need a factor to stabilize the price of commercial shrimp. Because recently at the end of December (before Tet), commercial shrimp suddenly dropped in price by 10,000-20,000 VND/kg depending on the size of the harvested shrimp compared to a month ago. Some shrimp farmers and traders know the reason is that after the Chinese traders came to buy frozen shrimp for small-scale export to the Tet market, they only bought strong goods for a short time.

The fact that some Chinese traders buy Vietnamese shrimp without considering the residue of banned substances makes shrimp farmers think subjectively and do not care about the quality of clean farmed shrimp. This makes it difficult for processing enterprises to implement the plan to purchase raw shrimp.

According to some entrepreneurs with many years of experience in the Vietnamese shrimp export industry, entering 2018, Vietnamese shrimp will face great challenges in the world market. It is an increasingly strict requirement for food safety and hygiene standards. From there, the mechanisms for transparency and quick traceability of each package are tighter. While about 90% of Vietnamese shrimp are farmed in small and fragmented conditions, it is difficult to control. Therefore, the necessary solution is to consolidate land to create large shrimp farms or gather shrimp farming households to organize into cooperatives.

Mr. Ho Quoc Luc, General Director of Sao Ta Food Joint Stock Company (Soc Trang), commented: The market situation in 2018, due to the case of dumping shrimp into the US market continues to be an obstacle. making Vietnamese shrimp less competitive on price with shrimp from countries not being sued or shrimp from countries being sued but with lower tax rates. Vietnamese shrimp has an advantage in the EU market because it still has preferential tariffs and if the V-EFTA Agreement is signed in summer, the EU will become a strategic market. Market share from the US will shift to the EU. At this time, shrimp consumption in the EU has accounted for a fairly high market share. “Vietnam’s shrimp farming depends on the weather to a great extent. If the weather is good, Vietnam’s shrimp production in 2018 will certainly increase sharply. However, according to the 2018 forecast, the world shrimp production will increase sharply. also increased sharply. If all forecasts are correct, shrimp farmers may face the holy season of falling prices,” said Mr. Ho Quoc Luc.