BA RIA VUNG TAU TO HIT OF AQUATIC PRODUCTS MANAGED UNDER VIETGAP

According to the plan, Ba Ria - Vung Tau province targets to hit 80% of aquaculture products managed in VietGAP model by 2020, gradually reducing intensive and semi - intensive shrimp farming areas to extensive, improved and ecological farming; apply high technology to aquaculture production to increase productivity, ensure food safety, reduce the use of banned antibiotic chemicals in farming.

According to Mr. Tran Van Cuong, Deputy Director of Ba Ria - Vung Tau Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, to develop aquaculture sustainably in accordance with the approved plan, the province has planned to review the situation of aquaculture in the area. Simultaneously, the locality accelerated investments in aquaculture infrastructure and concentrated aquatic seed production zones in the province.

Ba Ria - Vung Tau has been gradually shifted from extensive farming to many models of farming such as improved extensive, semi-intensive and intensive farming. The farming area hit 7,500 ha with the annual aquaculture output of nearly 19 thousand MT, mainly in Dat Do, Xuyen Moc, Tan Thanh districts and Ba Ria town. In addition, there are some fish and other aquatic products for exports in the locality such as pearls, snail and grouper in Con Dao.

At the present, there are 169 seafood processing enterprises in the province, including dozens of processing factories meeting the HACCP standard with total capacity of 250 thousand MT of finished products per year. Of that, there are 28 plants granted certificates of eligibility for exports to the European market and most of the remaining factories are eligible to ship to the U.S, Japan, South Korea and Russia.

The leader of Ba Ria - Vung Tau Department of Agriculture and Rural Development said that in the coming time, the province will continue to diversify models of farming, processing; raise the efficiency of exploitation and production with high productivity, quality and competitiveness; boost exports; step by step integrate deeply into the international economy as well as meet the domestic demand.

Compiled by Dieu Thuy