Shrimp processing. (Photo: VASEP)
VIET NAMWednesday, January 07, 2015, 02:10 (GMT + 9)
According to statistics from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, seafood export value in 2014 is estimated at USD 7.9 billion, up 18 per cent yoy.
This growth is largely owed to shrimp export increase, as it is expected to reach the highest recorded value, at over USD 4 billion, 25 per cent more than in 2013.
Shrimp foreign sales helped balance the decrease in exports of some other items, and maintain the upward trend.
Export value of whiteleg shrimp continued to move up and by the end of 2014, the export value of the shrimp nearly doubled that of black tiger shrimp.
Although shrimp exports bound for the US fell in some months of the year, the increase tendency continued.
The US, Japan and the EU are the three major markets for shrimp exports, the latter having shown the highest growth.
While Vietnam seafood exports will enjoy more tax incentives, they will also have to meet the high requirements from international standards, as bilateral agreements with the major markets are signed, especially the Free Trade Agreement between Vietnam and EU, from the beginning of 2015.
In 2014, brackish water shrimp was farmed in the total area of 685,000 hectares, consisting of 590,000 hectares for black tiger shrimp and 95,000 hectares for whiteleg shrimp, VASEP informed.
According to Quang Trong Thao, Deputy Director of Kien Giang Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, in 2014, brackish water shrimp was reared in 90,563 hectares in the province, yielding 51,430 tonnes, up 22.5 per cent yoy.
Kien Giang aims to rear brackish water shrimp in 90,000 hectares in 2015, seeking to achieve an output of 56,000 tonnes of raw shrimp.