November 29, 2010

Mexico cooperates with Vietnam to improve lobster production

The governor of the Mexican state of Morelos and aquaculture producers in the region have made a successful business tour in Vietnam to attain more knowledge in the production of ornamental fish, tilapia, and shellfish.

The Morelos delegation toured a lobster farm in the beach town of Nha Trang where they were greeted by Vo Tho San, director of Agriculture and Rural Development, in Khanh Hoa Province. They learnt a technique which enables them to get lobsters in all sizes and double their production at the farm.

The governor, Marco Antonio Adame Castillo, led the Mexican delegation which would do a working tour of the oriental country. The tour was organised by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food (Sagarpa) through the National Commission of Aquaculture and Fisheries (Conapesca) from Monday (Nov 22).

The trade mission aims to open new markets and exchange technologies to enhance production practices in Morelos farms.

Vo said the chances are that Vietnam will develop a model of cooperation with Mexico and Morelos in particular, to achieve better production processes for lobsters.

For its part, the governor of Morelos said that with new innovative production techniques for farming in the region, they will also "make an important advancement in the fight against poverty because the social implications of progress in the aquaculture sector is increasing income to farmers and their families," reported Sol de Cuernavaca.

Castillo said his state ranks first nationally in the production of ornamental fish and this exchange of experiences with Vietnam will help them to take the lead in fish production systems.

By the end 2010, the state of Morelos would have invested MXN58 million (US$4.6 million) in aquaculture, especially in the production of tilapia, shrimp, and reef fish.

In the state of Morelos, aquaculture generates approximately 2,000 jobs mostly in rural communities of the 25 municipalities in which it operates. It has a 66-hectare aquaculture infrastructure, with an average of 546 integrated producers in three different associations.