Dream of Luong Thanh Van the ‘shrimp king’

Viet Uc Group and Mr. Luong Thanh Van have been extremely supportive of the growth of Vietnam agriculture, particularly the shrimp business during the last few years. He spoke with Vietnam Agriculture News on business strategies that assist enhance the domestic shrimp brand on the occasion of the Lunar New Year.

Vietnam's shrimp export reached USD 3 billion in 2021. Viet Uc Group made a significant contribution to the outcome. What are your thoughts on the recent record statistic for shrimp exports in your first days back in Vietnam?

Since migrating to Australia, I've found success in a variety of businesses, including garment and photographic chain stores. However, my Vietnamese blood prompted me to return and contribute to the country's overall growth.

During several visits to the country, I went to different provinces and discovered that the shrimp industry has significant room for growth, owing to natural conditions, geographical locations, soil, and climate, as well as human demand, the domestic market, and the growing demands of the global market.

Shrimp farming was primitive and dispersed at the time, relying heavily on antibiotics and lacking in science and technology. There is a strong reliance on imported broodstock, as well as on the source and quality of shrimp seed.

I anticipated that farmers would be able to culture high-quality prawns with consistent yield, ensuring both economic value and industrial sustainability. That was the impetus for my return to Vietnam.

I am proud to say that Viet Uc Group was the pioneer in Vietnam to self-contain the shrimp value chain and simultaneously launch the 'All for the benefits of a high-tech and sustainable Vietnamese shrimp industry" initiative. These are the two strategic orientations that Viet Uc has constantly followed over the last two decades to accomplish the purpose "For Vietnamese people - Raising Vietnamese shrimp". 

There are around 5.3 million Vietnamese living abroad, including a number of successful entrepreneurs. However, the number of individuals returning to their country to invest, particularly in agriculture, remains small. What novel policies and mechanisms, in your opinion, does Vietnam need to establish to attract greater investment from the abroad Vietnamese?

Before the Covid-19 epidemic, Vietnam did well in attracting foreign investments.  Not only does the Vietnamese government assist investors, enterprises, and Vietnamese overseas in securely and promptly repatriating home, it also works closely with departments and agencies such as security, health, and transportation. Though a result, the government has implemented timely and effective measures and remedies, even as many nations across the world continue to struggle with the pandemic.

I believe that in the coming years, our country will need to bolster its foreign capital attraction, develop incentives, and implement numerous measures such as promoting online investment, connecting through multiple channels, and prioritizing foreign investors in critical development sectors such as agriculture.

To transform the agricultural sector into a "fertile land" that attracts overseas Vietnamese and businesspeople, the Government, ministries, departments, and sectors must create conditions for mechanisms and policies such as tax exemption, land rent reduction, and investment credit support.

Additionally, the Government, ministries, departments, and sectors should prioritize the establishment and development of agricultural brands that originate in and are associated with Vietnam. This contributes to the enhancement of agricultural goods' image and position on the worldwide market.

The Vietnamese shrimp business has begun to establish clear objectives, directions, and strategies. As a businessman, a patriot, and a successful investor, do you have any thoughts or recommendations regarding the future and direction of the Vietnamese shrimp industry in the next years?

The domestic shrimp business has made significant strides to reach its current level of success. Since its inception, Viet Uc has pursued two objectives: to develop the group and to contribute to the industry's growth.

To begin, the value chain of the shrimp business must be self-contained. Second, it is all for the benefit of the Vietnamese shrimp industry's high-tech and sustainable development. This is not a choice; this is the course that must be taken in the next years.

For the first direction, from broodstock shrimp to prawn, shrimp feeds are transformed into a perfectly prepared dish of shrimp for customers, assuring origin traceability and food safety. Since then, we have been confident in developing the Vietnamese shrimp brand and increasing its value on the worldwide market.

Three things must be considered while determining the course of high-tech and sustainable development. The first is business sustainability, which begins with being proactive in sourcing broodstock. Viet Uc is Vietnam's first and only seafood firm to effectively adopt a genetic program and broodstock selection.

It is not only about utilizing the most advanced biotechnology available to develop an ever-higher quality shrimp seed supply, but also about ensuring the overall safety of the shrimp business.

Second is the issue of sustainability, both for shrimp producers and the ecosystem. We need to reduce and eventually eliminate antibiotic usage, as well as limit negative affects on the surrounding ecosystem, such as water conservation and proper waste management.

We are developing a high-tech shrimp farming model in Viet Uc termed "sustainable VUS." This is an antibiotic-free approach that utilizes only microorganisms throughout the shrimp life cycle, from seed to serving on the consumer dining table.

Our high-tech shrimp farming facilities, in particular, also train shrimp farmers throughout Vietnam in highly efficient and ecologically friendly microbiological shrimp farming technology.

Finally, there is the issue of consumer sustainability. Vietnamese shrimp farmers must strive for the ideal commercial shrimp. It is specifically free of antibiotic residues, which ensures food hygiene and safety, as well as traceability.

Our high-tech shrimp farming complexes in Viet Uc can do well in this term. This is why Viet Uc shrimp can meet the export standards of some of the most demanding markets, like Japan, the United States, and Europe. I anticipated that all shrimp farms in Vietnam, not only those in Viet Uc, would be capable of producing the market's most perfect shrimp.

When all of the above is accomplished, can we contribute to the development of a sustainable Vietnamese shrimp brand in the global market while simultaneously increasing the selling price and overall export value. Since then, not just shrimp farmers, but all stakeholders engaged in the value chain of the country's shrimp business have realized increased profitability. Vietnam's shrimp business will flourish and become more sustainable.

Thank you!