September 8, 2006

Vietnamese shrimp farmers lose US$3.8 million to shrimp deaths

Vietnamese shrimp farmers have so far this year lost over VND61 billion (US$3.8 million) to shrimp deaths due to a combination of adverse environmental factors and poor techniques, according to the country's Fisheries Ministry.

The southern provinces of Kien Giang, Tra Vinh, Soc Trang and Bac Lieu bore the brunt of the losses.

As shrimp farmers prepare for the year's second crop, experts warned that changing weather patterns could decrease salinity and affect shrimp breeding or even kill them.

More than half a million hectares of land in Vietnam are currently devoted to raising the second crop of black shrimps, with Ca Mau province accounting for almost half the acreage.