August 28, 2007

 

Vietnam to strengthen biotechnology measures to boost aquaculture sector

 

 

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in Vietnam is set to increase the use of bio-technology to further improve the country's aquaculture industry.

 

Biotechnology is expected to ensure developments in farming, disease treatment, aquatic feeds and processing to certify the fisheries sector's production will increase by 30 percent over the next year.

 

The government is also eyeing to establish a network of small- and medium-sized bio-technology enterprises in all fields of aquatic product farming and processing.

 

These businesses would supply large aquatic product farming establishments with high-quality breeds that are free from diseases and suitable to the ecology of their localities.

 

The ministry is also bent to make aquaculture biotechnology the best or at par with those of advanced countries in Southeast Asia.

 

Dr Duong Hoa Xo, director of the Ho Chi Minh City Bio-technology Centre, said that the application of bio-technology would boost the domestic fisheries industry and become one of the world's major players in seafood trade.

 

The agriculture ministry should focus on developing bio-technology in the Cuu Long (Mekong) River Delta since the region is leading the country in aquaculture farming, Xo said.

 

In 2005, the country had about 960,000 hectares of aquaculture, of which 600,000 hectares were used for raising shrimps. The fisheries industry harvested a total 1.44 million tonnes, including 320,000 tonnes of shrimps.

 

The demand for feed for fish and shrimps is between 1.3 and 1.5 million tonnes per year, but domestic producers can supply only 40 percent of that amount. In addition, many epidemic diseases attack aquatic product farming fields, resulting in great losses for farmers.

 

In particular, shrimp farmers nationwide suffer production loses of 350,000 tonnes, the equivalent of US$1.7 billion a year due to diseases caused by viruses.

 

To ensure the effectiveness of bio-technology application in the delta, Xo said, close cooperation should be established among bio-technology research agencies such as the Mekong Rice Research Institute, the Can Tho and An Giang universities, the Southern Fruits Research Institute and Ho Chi Minh City-based bio-technology research agencies.