Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc visits shrimp product stalls within the framework of a conference on the development of shrimp production held yesterday in the southernmost province of Ca Mau. — VNA/VNS Photo Thong Nhat
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc asked the shrimp industry to strive for an export value of US$10 billion by 2025 during a conference on shrimp production held in the southernmost province of Ca Mau on Monday.
Participants heard that Viet Nam has become the world’s third largest shrimp exporter and the world’s leading exporter of giant tiger prawn.
Shrimp exports accounted for nearly 50 per cent of total seafood exports, with the highest value of nearly $4 billion achieved in 2014.
Giant tiger prawn and white-legged shrimp - brackish water species - are being farmed in 30 provinces and cities and are key export products. The south central provinces of Ninh Thuan, Binh Thuan, Khanh Hoa and southwestern provinces like Ca Mau and Bac Lieu are main shrimp producers. Ca Mau has the largest shrimp breeding areas.
According to Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Nguyen Xuan Cuong, shrimp, with its high value, has been chosen as an important product for restructuring the seafood industry in particular, and agriculture in general.
Speaking at the conference, Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung said that Viet Nam’s shrimp industry still has a lot of room for improvement, not only because of high global demand, but also because the area suitable for farming shrimp in Viet Nam is very large, particularly the Mekong Delta.
The Deputy PM recommended the Minstry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) to review relevant institutions to revise and support the shrimp industry and work with localities to make planning based on global demand and the restructuring of the agricultural sector and response to climate change.
PM Phuc said the shrimp industry should work to account for 10 per cent of the country’s GDP.
He asked the State Bank of Viet Nam to instruct commercial banks to provide sufficient capital for the industry, especially for high-tech breeding.
He also reminded industry insiders to diversify export markets to avoid risks stemming from heavy reliance on a single market.
He assured that the Government will stand with businesses to protect their legitimate rights and benefits in anti-dumping lawsuits, but will mete out severe punishments to violations damaging the prestige of Vietnamese shrimps.
He assigned the MARD to quickly design an action programme for the development of the shrimp industry. — VNS