April 12, 2004

ATI Vietnam Forecasts 7,000 Tons Shrimp Sales To US Despite Anti-Dumping Lawsuit
 

American Technologies, Inc Vietnam (ATI Vietnam) is looking to ship around 7,000 tons of shrimp to the US this year despite the anti-dumping lawsuit filed by American shrimp farmers.

ATI Vietnam chairman and CEO Dinh Duc Huu told reporters in Ho Chi Minh City last week that white-leg shrimp would account for the bulk of the company's shipments to America.

The company's 2004 output is forecast to reach the highest level since the company started fisheries farming in Vietnam in 2000.

Mr Huu, an American of Vietnamese descent, has ventured into various fields in Vietnam like fisheries, petroleum, eco-tourism and e-commerce since 1997. More than 11,000 hectares of coastal land in eight central and northern provinces from Quang Tri northward have been allocated to the company for shrimp and fish farming, and building seafood wholesale markets.

"ATI Vietnam has invested more than US$50 million in 2,000 hectares of fisheries farms, creating jobs for 2,500 local people," he said.

"2004 will be the year for our intensive harvesting. We will export shrimp to America via Vietnamese seafood processors."

Mr Huu said most of his shrimp farms were located in poverty-stricken areas with poor infrastructure and severe climate conditions. However, the company harvested 12.5 tones of whiteleg shrimp per hectare and six tones of tiger shrimp per hectare last year.

The company is also cultivating grouper and cobia in Halong Bay in the northern province of Quang Ninh. Huu said he wanted to cultivate fish in the waters of the southern province of Kien Giang, and white-leg shrimp in northern waters.

Regarding the shrimp antidumping case initiated by the US, Southern Shrimp Alliance, he said if Vietnamese shrimp exporters lost the case and his company could not sell shrimp to the US, he would seek legal action to protect his business based on the US Constitution because "I'm a US citizen."