Preparing for the new shrimp crop

(Baonghean) -
The new shrimp crop of 2013 is about to begin, the government, people and specialized agencies are urgently carrying out the final tasks. Learning from the experience of the 2012 shrimp crop, many strict measures and procedures are being implemented to have a successful new shrimp crop.

According to the 2013 crop calendar developed by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the seed release period for white-leg shrimp starts from April to June 30 for the main crop. After the main crop, farming areas with good infrastructure conditions and stable water environment ensure the release of the secondary crop. The seed release period is from September 20 to October 30. For black tiger shrimp, the seed release period is from mid-April to May 30. Compared to the 2012 crop calendar, the seed release period this year is later. From now on, preparations for seeds, ponds, and infrastructure are more carefully prepared by specialized agencies, local authorities, and people.

Up to this point, shrimp farmers in the province have basically completed the steps to treat ponds and prepare to buy shrimp for release. Mr. Tran Anh Trang, An Hoa commune, whose family has nearly 2 hectares of shrimp farming, said: “To prepare for the new shrimp crop, for nearly a month now I have hired nearly a dozen workers to renovate the ponds. Learning from last year's shrimp crop, this year my family has treated, washed the bottom very carefully and then dried it to reduce the remaining pathogens. I am preparing to bring in water and proceed with the treatment, color creation and when the schedule comes, I can buy the breed to release.”



People in An Hoa commune (Quynh Luu) treat ponds to prepare for releasing shrimp seeds.

Not only Mr. Trang and many shrimp farming households in Quynh Luu district are urgently carrying out the final tasks before entering the seed release stage. Mr. Hoang Ngoc Thuy, an official of the Department of Agriculture of Quynh Luu district, said: According to the plan for the first crop this year, the whole district will release over 800 hectares of shrimp of all kinds. Right from the beginning of the year, the district has focused on directing 22 communes with shrimp farming areas in the area to actively direct people to dredge ponds, and promptly repair damaged and degraded areas. In particular, the stage of treating the water environment and pathogens is given top priority by shrimp farmers to minimize the outbreak of diseases during the crop. Up to now, nearly 100% of the shrimp farming area in the district has completed the preparation work, just waiting for the right time to be able to release the new crop of shrimp.

Preparing to enter the new shrimp season, the quality of shrimp seed sources is something that people and localities are concerned and worried about, especially after the complicated epidemic caused by hepatopancreatic syndrome in 2012. In that situation, the Department of Animal Health, the Department of Aquaculture and the District People's Committee have established many interdisciplinary inspection teams to conduct inspections of veterinary conditions and production and business conditions of aquatic seed production facilities, in order to strictly manage the quality of shrimp seed produced and circulated in the area from input to output. When facilities take shrimp for breeding as well as when selling, they are required to take samples for quarantine of white spot virus to prevent the risk of disease spreading. After inspection, 51 farms of 16 facilities in the whole district have basically ensured production and veterinary conditions.

For black tiger shrimp production facilities, there are currently 18 farms importing parent shrimp for production. The farms importing 48 parent shrimp from Da Nang, Ca Mau, Phu Yen provinces have also organized strict quarantine work. These facilities have strictly followed the technical processes in seed production. Currently, there are more than 10 farms with shrimp seeds for export with about more than 20 million post.

To ensure the source of seeds for shrimp farmers, businesses have increased the production and supply of seeds. Along with that, local authorities have created mechanisms and conditions for other units to invest in and produce seeds. In order to ensure the quality of seeds, the Department of Aquaculture and the Department of Animal Health will send staff to monitor, regularly inspect and quarantine shrimp before releasing. If cases of transporting seeds without quarantine, batches of poor quality aquatic products, and releasing shrimp seeds without inspection are detected, measures will be taken to handle them.

Mr. Tran Xuan Hoc, Head of the Department of Aquaculture and Fisheries, said: Up to now, the basic work has been completed and the initial conditions for releasing shrimp in the new crop have been ensured. This year, the specialized agency recommends that people reduce the stocking density to 50-70 shrimp/m2, size P12. From here, investment costs will be reduced, productivity will be increased per unit of farming area. At the same time, in case of an epidemic, the spread and damage to shrimp farmers will be reduced. People need to strictly follow the stocking schedule, do a good job of environmental sanitation to minimize adverse impacts. Release shrimp according to the seasonal schedule, do not release too early because it will be cold and do not release too late because at the end of the season it will often rain, the farming water will be diluted, affecting the growth and development of shrimp.

Pham Bang