April 8, 2008

 

Vietnam's seafood sector lost US$9 million on cold spell

 

 

The seafood industry of Vietnam suffered a loss amounting to US$9.1 million due to the recent cold spell, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development's Aquaculture Department said.

 

The recent crisis puts pressure in Vietnam's north to keep up supplies.

 

Meanwhile, industry players said that the real damage is more than the estimated value.

 

In Hai Phong, the real damage is VND65 billion (US$4 million) instead of the estimated VND39 billion (US$2.4 million).

 

Hung Yen reported that the real figure comes to VND7 billion (US$437,500) compared to VND2.3 billion (US$143,750) reported earlier.

 

Le Vien Chi, vice head of the Aquaculture Department, said that fish that suffered worst were those that dislike cold, including flying fish, perch and pancasius.

 

In Hung Yen, Ha Tay, Bac Giang provinces, white flying fish and perch are reported to have been almost wiped out. They normally account for 30 - 50 percent of total seafood from the region.

 

Furthermore, even with some breeding stock which survived the cold spell, much of it was diseased and its reproductive ability was weakened.

 

Nguyen Van Gioi, director of Thai Nguyen's Seafood centre, said if the provinces do not get additional supply of breeding stock, there will be unbalanced seafood supplies not only this year, but also in coming years.

 

Nguyen recommended that it is time to buy breed from the Centre, the South or import from China.

 

However, the plan still faces challenges, because the same cold weather has affected breeding stock in China.

 

The Aquaculture Department has proposed to assist the northern provinces' seafood sectors with VND73 billion (US$4.5 million).