Mekong Delta: Shrimp farmers rush to early harvest with concerns of Covid-19

As the Covid-19 pandemic is developing complicatedly with a fear that the output consumption will be difficult, many farmers in the Mekong Delta are harvesting shrimp early leading to a large supply in the market and price decreases as the result.

Tien Giang is a province that has about 4,000 ha of marine shrimp farming, concentrated in Tan Phu Dong and Go Cong Dong districts. Of these, 90% of shrimp ponds are for white leg shrimp breeding. In particular, 10% of the total shrimp farming area is applying high-tech models with a link between production and business achieving high efficiency. Due to favorable weather, this shrimp crop, mainly of white leg shrimp, is mostly successful. In high-tech shrimp farming areas, the output reaches from 50 tons to 60 tons/ha.

Mr. Ngo Minh Tuan, the owner of 30 hectares of white leg shrimp raising farm with high-tech models who is associating with the CP Vietnam Joint Stock Company’s branch in Tien Giang Province’s Phu Thanh Commune, Tan Phu Dong District, said that due to a massive harvest, the price is reduced but still guaranteed to be profitable.

“I have been harvesting shrimp for the last few days. The output is large, so factories cannot buy and consume in time. Three weeks ago, I sold 30 shrimp/kg for VND155,000/kg, now reduced to VND130,000/kg, down VND25,000/kg. The factory was suffering a pressure. It was possible for them to export, but all farmers fear the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, so they rush to sold shrimp and this makes too much supply that exceeds demands. Meanwhile, high-tech shrimp farming is entering harvest with an expected high yield. This season is also profitable but low. The reason is that input costs such as food and materials are high,” said Tuan.

Mr. Nguyen Van Man, Director of Tien Giang Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD), said: “Currently, Tien Giang has no stagnant agricultural products that need to be rescued. The provincial DARD is coordinating with the Department of Industry and Trade and the Department of Transport to create a green channel for agricultural product consumption and distribution to Ho Chi Minh City.

As farmers massively rush to harvest, the price for white leg shrimps, type of 30 shrimps/kg this week in Tien Giang continued to decrease by about VND10,000/kg compared to last week and about VND25,000/kg compared to the previous month. Currently, the price of white leg shrimps is about VND130,000/kg. With this price, farmers can earn a profit but not high compared to previous years.

In Bac Lieu Province, the weather now is stable and very favorable for shrimp farming. Mr. Huynh Quoc Khoi, Director of Bac Lieu Agricultural Promotion Center said: “Currently, shrimp farming in the province is developing very well. Many shrimp farming models are applied effectively, including those that just take over 85 days for shrimps to grow with yield reaching 30 shrimps/kg. It can be said that this shrimp season has grossed a high yield.”

Mr. Khoi recommended farmers be assured to raise shrimp because the prices are still at a high level and traders do not stop buying. In addition, the weather is very favorable for farmers to grow shrimp according to their plans. Currently, as travel is difficult, some people have taken this advantage to give pressure on prices. But in fact, prices announced by shrimp purchasing companies in Bac Lieu Province are still stable, even increasing.

Ms. Tran My Le (Buu Dong hamlet, in Bac Lieu Province’s Long Dien Dong Commune, Dong Hai District) said: “For this shrimp crop, the family has two shrimp ponds, one of which is 700m2 and the other is 1,000m2 large. The yield has reached from 25 -30 shrimps/kg after 85 days farming and traders pay VND128,000/kg.” With such two ponds of a total area of 1,700m2, Ms. Le harvested more than 10 tons of shrimps and earn a profit of more than VND650 million.

Box: The prices of shrimps in Bac Lieu and Ca Mau Provinces on July 13, 2021, are as follows: Types of 20shrimps/kg raised in tarpaulin ponds are sold at VND204,000 – 205,000/kg while those grown earth ponds are about VND212,000-213,000/kg; Types of 25 shrimps/kg and those grown in earthen ponds are sold at VND153,000-155,000/kg and VND160-161,000/kg respectively; Types of 30 shrimps/kg and those grown in earth ponds are priced at VND131,000 - 132,000/kg and VND135,000 – 136,000/kg respectively; Types of 40shrimps/kg and those raised in earth ponds cost VND116,000-117,000/kg and VND118,000-119,000/kg. Types of 100 shrimps/kg and those raised earthen ponds are sold at VND88,000-89,000/kg and VND80,000-81,000/kg respectively.