Nghe An: 6 months of raising and releasing more than 1,250 hectares of shrimp

On the morning of June 10, in Quynh Bang commune (Quynh Luu), the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development held a conference to evaluate the shrimp farming situation in the first 6 months of the year and tasks and solutions for the last 6 months of 2022. Attending the conference were representatives of the leaders of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, districts and towns in the shrimp farming area and a number of shrimp farming households in the area. Comrade Tran Xuan Hoc - Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development chaired the conference. Photo: Xuan Hoang

According to the report of the Department of Fisheries, the weather in the first months of the year was unpredictable; infrastructure in many shrimp farming areas was degraded, causing disadvantages for commercial shrimp farming activities. Diseases in commercial shrimp occurred early and tended to spread quickly. High input materials increased production costs in commercial shrimp farming.

However, shrimp farmers in the province have applied new science and technology such as biotechnology, multi-stage farming, circulating farming, etc. combined with investment in upgrading infrastructure in both farming areas and each farming facility, which has increased the productivity and efficiency of shrimp farming many times higher than traditional shrimp farming in ponds (10-15 tons/ha).

Commercial shrimp farming requires large investments and a lot of experience. Photo: Xuan Hoang

The seed production sector has seen positive developments, from the production process to a sharp increase in both quantity and variety, with quality being strictly controlled. By the end of May, the number of shrimp seed production and rearing reached 1,200 million, equal to 104% over the same period in 2021.

The main shrimp farming subjects are whiteleg shrimp and black tiger shrimp. As of the end of May, the farming area was 1,255 hectares (equal to 100.24% compared to the same period in 2021). Of which, 591 hectares were stocked ahead of schedule and 664 hectares were stocked on schedule.

Shrimp farmers in the province currently apply two farming methods: pond farming and tank/floating cage farming. Households investing in tank/floating cage farming mainly apply multi-stage processes, applying biotechnology; while households raising shrimp in ponds apply both single-stage and multi-stage farming processes, most of them have applied products from biotechnology to shrimp farming.

Shrimp farmers often face the worry of shrimp diseases. Photo: Xuan Hoang

In the first 6 months of the year, shrimp diseases such as white spot disease, acute hepatopancreatic necrosis... appeared in 109 households/191 shrimp ponds with a total diseased area of ​​65.57 hectares, in the following localities: Hoang Mai town, Quynh Luu, Nghi Loc, and Dien Chau districts.

At the conference, representatives of localities and shrimp farmers said that it is necessary to strengthen inspection and handling of businesses trading in shrimp farming inputs; businesses trading in shrimp breeds and shrimp feed need to have support policies for farmers. They also shared the experiences of shrimp farming of some pond owners that have brought high efficiency; suggested that localities and departments have solutions for ineffective farming areas, to avoid wasting land.

According to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, in the last 6 months of the year, shrimp farmers still have to face difficulties and challenges, because of unusual weather, potential risks, and the risk of disease outbreaks; input material prices are still likely to increase, affecting all aspects of the process of seed production and commercial shrimp farming.

In the first 6 months of the year, shrimp farming diseases occurred in many places in the province's farming areas. Photo: Thanh Phuc

Therefore, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development recommends that the Department of Animal Husbandry and the Provincial Agricultural Extension Center promote disease prevention in aquaculture in the area. Focus on improving the efficiency of transferring scientific and technical advances in shrimp farming.

Localities implement approved aquaculture development projects and programs; manage production, hatchery and aquaculture activities in the area. Direct people to carry out production in the right season, comply with farming processes and state regulations. Organize irrigation and dredging of water supply and drainage systems and environmental sanitation in brackish and saltwater shrimp farming areas.

For shrimp farmers, it is necessary to repair and reinforce the banks to ensure that the ponds are sturdy, leak-free, and avoid the spread of pathogens when there is a risk of disease spreading in the area..Need to rearrange the scale of the farming system: 30% of the farming pond area and 50% of the settling pond and 20% of the wastewater and waste treatment area; stocking density ≤ 80 fish/m².