Brazil's head of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Ministry, Altemir Gregolin, announced that the country is seeking to cement additional fisheries cooperation with Thailand, China and South Korea.

 

The idea is to also learn more about production systems that are more efficient and environmentally sustainable, said the Brazilian minister upon arriving in Thailand to visit its shrimp cooperatives in the South of the country.

 

The Brazilian delegation is also expected to visit China and South Korea in the next two weeks.

 

"President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has bet on the seafood activity, especially fish-farming, and we contend that a collaboration with Asia in this field is very important," Gregolin said.

 

"Thailand produces 70,000 tonnes of shrimp per year through a very efficient production system and based, to a large extent, on family-run farms,” added the minister.

 

Gregolin also emphasised that more than 30% of Thailand's shrimp producers exploit less than five hectares of land.

 

The Government of Brazil trusts that aquaculture offers many fishers an alternative to marine fisheries.

 

"We are sealing an agreement with Thailand on technology transfer, education, aquaculture and cooperation," the minister noted.

 

The Brazilian committee was accompanied by people heading the regional office of the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).

 

"China is the world's leading fish producer, with 48 million tonnes per year. It interests us, among other things, its production of oysters, shellfish, mussels through aquaculture, as well as the farming of tilapia in fresh water," he concluded.