Bac Lieu: Shrimp Seed production falls short of market demand
Bac Lieu Province, known for its substantial shrimp seed production in the Mekong Delta region, still faces shortages in meeting market demand during the peak farming season, with quality concerns persisting.
In the first half of 2024, Bac Lieu Province saw an increase in shrimp farming activities, covering approximately 140,000 hectares, with 11,500 hectares dedicated to intensive, semi-intensive, and super-intensive shrimp farming. The province produced 91,200 tons of commercial shrimp and 18 billion shrimp seeds, including 500 million giant freshwater prawn seeds.
However, despite its large production, shrimp seeds are insufficient to meet the needs of local farmers and businesses during the main farming season, necessitating imports from other provinces. Additionally, many shrimp farmers have raised concerns over the low quality of shrimp seeds available in the market.
To address these issues, Bac Lieu’s Fisheries Sub-Department collaborates with relevant agencies to annually inspect key shrimp seed production areas, taking prompt action against enterprises that do not meet the standards for selling shrimp seeds.
The local agriculture sector has also strengthened its efforts in inspecting shrimp seed suppliers and raising awareness about the importance of seed quality. This initiative has fostered the “Say No to substandard shrimp seeds” movement across the province.
Furthermore, several shrimp seed nurseries and businesses have been encouraged to upgrade their equipment to improve seed quality and voluntarily destroy shrimp seeds with diseases. These actions lay the groundwork for producers to review their production processes, improve seed quality, optimize pond management, and apply scientific and technological advancements.
In particular, Bac Lieu Province has collaborated with coastal provinces and those supplying shrimp seeds to establish a coordinated management mechanism. The Fisheries Sub-Department of Bac Lieu has also signed agreements with the Fisheries Sub-Departments of major shrimp seed suppliers, such as Ninh Thuan and Binh Thuan Provinces, to enhance the management of seed quality entering the province.
VFM
