January 14, 2008

Vietnam's Mekong Delta aims to be the leading shrimp producer

With around 5,000 hectares of water surface used for green-pincered shrimp farming, Mekong Delta aims to be the top shrimp producer in the country.

The country has increased shrimp production by ten fold during the past five years, with most of the ponds located along the Tien and Hau rivers.

Producers such as An Giang, Dong Thap, Vinh Long, Ben Tre and Can Tho are restructuring their production sites to cope with the annual flooding of the Mekong river.

Ben Tre province currently has 2,400 ha of green-pincered shrimp farms, while Dong Thap has 1,500 ha, An Giang, 600 ha and Can Tho, 400 ha.

Farmers usually raise green-pincered shrimp in rotation with black shrimps.

The massive expansion of shrimp farming was attributed to the stable supplies of breeding stocks, improved husbandry and raising techniques, resulting to a strong customer demand.

The Mekong delta is forecast to become Vietnam's largest producer of green-pincered shrimps.