In 2023, Bạc Liêu province ranked first in the country in terms of shrimp farming output and shrimp export turnover thanks to the development of a hi-tech based super-intensive shrimp farming model.
In terms of shrimp farming area, Bạc Liêu ranked second in the country with 143,000 hectares, following Cà Mau province with 278,365 hectares. However, in 2023, Bạc Liêu’s shrimp output was highest at 247,143 tons, while Cà Mau only produced 233,000 tons.
Such a high yield was attributed to Bạc Liêu’s significant development of super-intensive shrimp farming using advanced technology in both scale and farming technology. In 2023, the province had 25 organizations and 832 individuals investing into super-intensive shrimp farming with a total farming area of 6,624 hectares, up 43.8% compared to 2022 and 2.9 times that of 2020.
According to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Bạc Liêu province, the province has identified aquaculture as a key economic sector, accounting for 60% of agricultural products and nearly 28% of the province’s economy, with shrimp farming occupying over 97% of the aquaculture area. In 2023, shrimp farming output accounted for 21.8% of the total national shrimp farming output, with shrimp export turnover reaching USD 973 million, an increase of 17% compared to 2022, accounting for over 28% of the national shrimp export turnover.
Bạc Liêu has various effective shrimp farming methods such as super-intensive farming, intensive farming, semi-intensive farming, shrimp-rice, and shrimp-forest systems. However, the hi-tech based super-intensive shrimp farming model brings in the most efficiency. It is identified as a focal point and key factor in the province’s shrimp industry development.
The province has been constructing a High-Tech Agricultural Zone to develop Bạc Liêu’s shrimp sector. Phase 1 infrastructure has been completed, and Phase 2 is scheduled for handover and use by mid-2024.
In 2023, Viet Uc Seafood Processing Plant was put into operation and became the first in the country to apply automated technology, implementing a closed-loop process from breeding, farming, and processing for export. There are 20 seed production facilities and 7 commercial shrimp farming facilities registered to build disease-safe facilities.
Additionally, a biosecure farming area in accordance with World Organization for Animal Health standards is finalizing documents for certification to export whole shrimp to Australia and other markets. The biosecure farming area also taking samples to monitor buffer zones in Vĩnh Thịnh commune, Hòa Bình district, and Hiệp Thành commune, Bạc Liêu city.
Bac Lieu has attracted many hi-tech shrimp farming enterprises. Currently, 6 enterprises (an increase of 1 compared to 2022) have been granted certificates of hi-tech agricultural enterprise by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Provincial People’s Committee.
Furthermore, 22 cooperatives, 316 households have been certified with international standards (BAP, GlobalGAP, ASC, etc.) covering an area of 2,553 hectares (an increase of 4 units compared to 2022). There are 63 cooperatives, 79 cooperatives, and 153 farms participating in product consumption linkage activities.
Bac Lieu also leads the Mekong Delta region in producing high-quality shrimp seeds, accounting for over 50% of the region and about 22% nationwide. The province has 360 seed production and nurturing facilities, including 220 production facilities, an increase of 5 facilities compared to 2022 (185 for shrimp and 35 for white leg shrimp), with a design capacity of over 40 billion post-larvae per year, producing 32-34 billion post-larvae. Bạc Liêu has many large-scale shrimp seed production enterprises, meeting over 80% of the demand for high-quality shrimp seeds for farmers within and outside the province.
Additionally, the province has 45 seafood processing plants meeting export standards to European countries, the United States, Japan, South Korea, China, Australia, the Middle East, with a designed capacity of 209,700 tons per year, ranking third in the country. This is an important condition to ensure the consumption of shrimp products and the development of the shrimp farming industry in the province. Currently, there are 48 raw material purchasing facilities and 68 preliminary processing facilities supplying export processing plants and serving domestic consumption in the province.
The shrimp industry development plan of Bạc Liêu province in 2024 aims for a shrimp farming area of 142,269 hectares, with a production volume of 278,500 tons; although the farming area does not increase, production is expected to increase by 12.7%. Specifically, the area for super-intensive farming, intensive farming, semi-intensive farming is 29,400 hectares (super-intensive white leg shrimp farming 6,630 hectares; intensive shrimp farming 13,440 hectares; super-intensive black tiger shrimp farming 9,330 hectares), shrimp-rice integrated farming covers 46,851 hectares (including 27,250 hectares of shrimp-rice integrated farming) and improved extensive farming covers 66,018 hectares.
VFM
