2017 marked the strong development of fisheries sector with the exporting value of USD 8.32 billion and shrimp industry contributed the biggest part. There have been 701,000 tons of shrimp produced mainly in Mekong delta. In 2017, Soc Trang province has 47,000 hectares of shrimp farm, producing 134,000 tons of shrimp. However shrimp industry in Mekong delta as well as in Soc Trang province is small scale and fragmented production, the situation leads to: i) high production cost; ii) the risk of pollution; iii) disease outbreak easily; iv) traceability difficulties…
In recent years, the local authorities and NGOs such as Oxfam in Vietnam, WWF Vietnam, ICAFIS have collaborated to improve the capacity, technique for shrimp farmer groups/cooperatives and shrimp farmers in order to create/improve shrimp value chain linkages for clean, sustainable and more responsible shrimp production.
Attending in the contract signing ceremony, there were 50 attendants from: Soc Trang Agriculture and Rural Development department, Soc Trang fisheries department, Vinh Chau district People’s committee, WWF Vietnam, ICAFIS, 28 members of Toan Thang cooperative, media agencies in Soc Trang province, representatives from UT XI Aquatic Products Processing Corporation. The purpose of the contract signing ceremony is to improve shrimp value chain linkages for more sustainable and clean shrimp production. It is co-organized by project “promote certification and best management practices NMP for shrimp smallholder farmers in Vietnam” funded by DANIDA via WWF Vietnam and the project “Sustainable and Equitable Shrimp production and Value Chain Development in Vietnam” funded by EU via Oxfam in Vietnam and ICAFIS, the project sites are located in Soc Trang, Bac Lieu and Ca Mau province. The new linkage will help to strengthen shrimp value chain linkages in Soc Trang, creating more added value, improve sustainability, complying with international standards for exporting for Soc Trang shrimp industry.
In the ceremony, the representatives from UT XI Aquatic Products Processing Corporation and The cooperative have signed the contract and expressed collaborating commitment to produce clean and ASC certificated shrimp for international markets, bringing mutual profits to both sides.
In the coming months, in order to strengthen and create more sustainable shrimp value chain linkages, The SUSV project management board, Oxfam in Vietnam, ICAFIS, and WWF Vietnam will continuously to improve the capacity of shrimp farmer groups/cooperative and collaborate with shrimp processing and exporting companies to ensure both shrimp production inputs and outputs and promote Vietnam shrimp brand in international market.
Thế Diễn - ICAFIS
