Increase freezing storage for seafood

Seafood production increases, but struggles with output

According to Mr. Tran Van Tuan, a fisherman in Binh Hung Ward, Phan Thiet City, in the 2021 southern fishing crop, thanks to favorable weather condition and fishing ground, the boats’ fishing activities has been relatively stable. However, the impact of the Covid-19 epidemic results in low fish prices and slow consumption, making things difficult for fishermen.

Leaders of Phan Thiet Fishing Port Management Board also confirmed: Affected by the Covid-19 epidemic, as seafood consumption is mainly domestic and purchased for freezing, the price of fish has decreased by 20 - 30%.

As informed by Binh Thuan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, in the first seven months of 2021, the province's fishing output reached 122,533 tons, up 2.4% over the same period. However, from the second half of July 2021 up to now, the Covid-19 epidemic broke out and developed complicatedly in two major fishing localities of the province: Phan Thiet City and La Gi Town.

Fishing vessels, means of transport, sea laborers entering and exiting the fishing port for fishing, loading and unloading, transporting, distributing and trading aquatic products must comply with regulations on disease prevention and control safety.

Moreover, a number of traditional markets have their operation limited. Seafood processing enterprises must ensure under the "3 on-the-spot" motto... resulting in the production, processing, storage, consumption of farmed seafood facing many difficulties.

Binh Thuan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has assigned the Sub-Department of Fisheries to coordinate with the Management Boards of Phan Thiet, La Gi, Phan Ri Cua and other localities to regularly monitor the situation of fishing activities in the Southern fish crop from now until the end of October 2021 in terms of the number of fishing vessels, industries, output, types... every two weeks to take the initiative in consumption.

Three consumption channels

To support fishermen to consume seafood products amid Covid-19, Mr. Nguyen Van Chien, Deputy Director of Binh Thuan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, suggested that specialized fisheries management units, departments, localities and fisheries industry associations coordinate, effectively implement measures to resolve synchronously between inputs and outputs in the chain, from fishing activities at sea and gathering to loading, unloading, distributing and supplying consumable goods through three main branches/channels.

The first is the distribution channel for direct consumption that connects the consumption markets inside and outside the province through markets and supermarkets or directly supplies to consumers (process products according to the needs of the purchase location and buyer).

The second is the input supply channel for production and processing inside and outside the province, directly processing or storing raw materials for processing, having its focus on the province in order to create jobs, increase production and exportation, synchronously handling the transportation, circulation, and consumption of processed output products.

The third is the transportation channel for frozen seafood caught for cold storage in the province, which is self-balanced and supplied by enterprises according to market demand (for the group of frozen seafood products, mainly comes from Phu Quy district). From there, it will solve the immediate problems, and come up with long-term solutions.

In order to help remove difficulties regarding seafood production in Binh Thuan and other localities, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development proposed that the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development propose the Government have a tax reduction policy for seafood trading and processing enterprises and fishing vessels, at the same time direct policy banking sector and commercial banks to have solutions to support credit loans and extend debt so that operation and production can be maintained and stabilized.

Binh Thuan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development instructs the Agro-Forestry-Fisheries Quality Management Sub-department to regularly monitor and update information on the seafood market from the MARD to promptly provide businesses with on output and appropriate forms of consumption support; coordinate with the provincial Fisheries Association; Phan Thiet Fish Sauce Association to grasp the operation situation and the demand of each business in terms of the source of goods to be purchased, the time and location of the purchase, the transportation plan, the route,…