March 15, 2010

Diseases attack 45% of shrimp area in Vietnam Mekong Delta

More than 45% out of a total of 1,700 hectares of shrimp-raising area in Mekong Delta Vinh Long province are catching diseases, according to reports.

Head of the provincial Service of Veterinary Dinh Van The said Can Duoc district is the hardest hit with 600 hectares, followed by Can Giuoc with 150 hectares and Chau Thanh with 60 hectares.

Dinh noted that low quality of breed shrimp is the major reason for the massive death, adding that up to 20% of breed shrimp in the province had not been quarantined.

"We quarantined more than 60 million breed-shrimp and found that 1.6 million prawn shrimp did not meet size requirement and 600,000 white-legged shrimp catching diseases," he added.

Local farmers said that almost all of breed shrimp provided for the province came from southern central provinces like Ninh Thuan, Binh Thuan, Khanh Hoa and Ba Ria Vung Tau.