June 1, 2020

Vietnam to safeguard its shrimp sector from DIV1 virus outbreak

Vietnam's Agriculture and Rural Development Ministry (MARD) has urged for stricter control on the entry of shrimp and aquaculture feed from China to prevent the entry of the DIV1 virus into the country.

Phung Duc Tien, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development said China's shrimp farms have suffered massive losses due to the Decapod iridescent virus 1 (DIV1 virus).

According to local newspaper Vietnam Express, DIV1 was discovered in 2014 in Fujian, China among red claw clawfish, white-legged shrimp in Zhejian and giant freshwater prawns in other parts of China.

The DIV1 virus was recently discovered in Guangdong, China in February 2020. A quarter of shrimp farms in the area have been affected by the virus.

MARD said the DIV1 virus can infect saltwater, brackish and freshwater shrimp in all growth stages.

MARD has urged the National Steering Committee Against Smuggling, Trade Fraud and Counterfeiting Goods and northern provinces to increase border control actions and conduct stringent checks to prevent baby shrimps, prawns and aquaculture feed from China entering Vietnam.

-      Reuters