Vietnam and Cuba expand high-tech shrimp farming cooperation
A high-tech shrimp farming project in Camaguey province, Cuba, jointly implemented by Vietnamese experts and Cuban technicians, has shown promising results.
The pilot phase, featuring five ponds, has produced 20 tons of shrimp after just 121 days, reaching an impressive yield of 4 tons per hectare.
Despite geographical distance, the longstanding Vietnam–Cuba friendship continues to thrive through practical cooperation projects. One of the most notable is the intensive high-tech shrimp farming initiative in Santa Cruz del Sur, Camaguey. The project not only contributes to boosting Cuba’s aquaculture productivity but also opens new pathways for sustainable development in the country’s seafood industry.
The success of the pilot phase owes much to the presence of four seasoned Vietnamese engineers, who worked side by side with local Cuban technicians throughout the production cycle. Encouraged by these early results, both sides are now scaling up the project to cover 10 hectares, with a target output of 45 tons in the second half of 2025.
Vietnamese technology is being fully deployed, from aeration and filtration systems to feeding protocols using premium-quality feed. According to Miguel Antonio Manso Diaz, Head of Production at Cultisur’s Santa Cruz del Sur facility, “The second production cycle began in late April with 5 hectares in operation. We’ve prepared 10 out of 30 ponds, stocking at a density of 100 shrimp per square meter, aiming for a yield of 900 – 1,000 kg per hectare.”
Beyond Camaguey, the model is being replicated in other key provinces like Villa Clara in central Cuba and Pinar del Rio in the west. The effort comes at a time when Cuba is striving to overcome economic challenges exacerbated by the U.S. embargo. The project not only enhances local shrimp farming capacity but also facilitates comprehensive technology transfer, from production techniques to operational management.
What stands out is not just the technical progress but also the spirit of cooperation. Shared meals, sleepless nights adjusting equipment, and side-by-side training sessions have built trust and created a foundation for sustainable success.
This bilateral initiative is offering a new vision for Cuba’s aquaculture sector. It addresses food security while paving the way for greater investment in high-tech agriculture. With Vietnamese expertise, the once-distant dream of “shrimp for poverty reduction” is becoming a tangible reality, creating jobs for thousands of local workers.
Cuba is gradually mastering advanced shrimp farming technologies, with the aim of achieving both sustainability and autonomy in its seafood production. The success of this joint project underscores the vitality of the Vietnam–Cuba partnership and marks a new chapter in their economic and technical cooperation, built on mutual benefit and shared growth.
VFM
