May 23, 2012

In Vietnam's southern province of Tra Vinh, up to 900 million breeding shrimps have died, causing farmers' initial losses of VND1 trillion (US$48 million).

The dead shrimps accounted for 50% of the total in the province, according to the provincial Agricultural and Rural Development Department.

The shrimps, which were from 15-45 days old, died of the infectious hypodermal and haematopoietic necrosis virus (IHHNV), the department reported.

Uncertainty over where the shrimp originated could also be a factor, said Pham Minh Truyen, Deputy Director of the department.

Only 37% of the shrimps had been through local quarantine stations located in the districts of Chau Thanh and Duyen Hai since the start of this year, Truyen said.

Around 1.8 billion breeding shrimps are raised across 23,000 hectares in the districts of Cau Ngang, Chau Thanh, Duyen Hai and Tra Cu.