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Price of giant tiger prawn in Ca Mau  (Expressed in VND1,000/kg*)
Category (pcs/ kg)	Mar 14	Mar 21
20	305	305
30	250	250
40	230	230
*VND1,000 = US$0.0474 as of Mar 21, 2014 Source: Casep (Ca Mau Association of Seafood Exporter & Producer)

 

 

Price of white leg shrimp in Ca Mau (expressed in VND1,000 /kg)
Category (pcs/ kg)	Mar 14	Mar 21
60	141	154
70	132	146
80	124	137
90	117	130
100	106	120
*VND1,000 = US$0.0474 as of Mar 21, 2014 Source: Casep (Ca Mau Association of Seafood Exporter & Producer)

 

 

 

Due to the lack of raw material for processing, the prices of white leg shrimp grew strongly last week.

 

Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) announced that the export value of white leg shrimp to the United States in January 2014 hit US$67.4 million, an increase of 337.6% on-year.

 

The total value of Vietnamese shrimp exports to the United States reached US$86.88 million, an increase of 163% on-year. The United States market accounted for 22.2% of the total value of Vietnamese exports.

 

The United States is currently the leading importer of Vietnamese shrimp.

 

Besides, exports of Vietnamese shrimp in January 2014 to other big markets also grew on-year: Japan and the European Union by 64.3%, Korea by 143.5% and Australia by 96%.

 

However, exports to China decreased by 37.7%.

 

In January, Vietnam gained US$258.6 million, of which white leg shrimp accounted for 61% of the total gain at US$157.6 million and tiger giant prawn accounted for 31.18% with US$80.64 million.

 

The total volume of fisheries in the first three months of 2014 reached 1,185 thousand tonnes, an increase of 3% on-year, of which fish hit 870 thousand tonnes, a rise of 1.6% on-year and shrimp hit 118 thousand tonnes, a rise of 8.6% on-year.

 

The raising areas for white leg shrimp are increasing sharply as this type of shrimp is productive and has a stable market. Some provinces recorded sharp increases in white leg shrimp raising areas in the first three months this year compared to same period last year as follows:

 

Province	Raising area (hectares)	% increase
Soc Trang	6,113	167
Ca Mau	3,704	500
Tra Vinh	1,828	400
Bac Lieu	1,573	118
Long An	1,338	65

 

However, the quality of shrimp in the sharply increasing raising areas is inconsistent, due to the current lack of control in the investments in irrigation systems, in breeding and in feed. Localities therefore should build a detail plan, conduct training and publicise disease prevention to farmers to reap the benefits. 

 

In February 2014, Japan found two Vietnamese shipments of shrimp containing oxytetracyline (OTC). Hence, 100% of shrimp export shipments from Vietnam to Japan will be checked before they are sold to Japanese consumers from March 2014.

 

After conforming to Japan's request, on March 20, VASEP sent an official dispatch to all exporters for improving antibiotic control, especially of OTC.

 

Last February Japan also found chloramphenicol in Vietnamese shrimp but they have not made any official announcement on that.

 

 

 

Pham Anh Tuan, vice chairman of the directorate of fisheries, shared that the policy of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in 2014 is to increase the raising areas and production of white leg shrimp due to their short harvest cycle and high productivity. However, there is a need to conduct research carefully before making a final decision.  Being aware of the high returns, many farmers have currently switched to raising white leg shrimp, instead of tiger giant prawn. Thus, if there is no feasible method and suitable infrastructure investment, the production of tiger giant prawn cannot be sustained.