Shrimp larvae quantity and quality: How to select broodstock to avoid risks?

The shrimp larvae market is diverse in pricing

At present, as the brackish water shrimp stocking season begins, Mr. Le Minh Chinh, Director of the Ninh Phu Aquaculture Cooperative in Ninh Hoa Town, Khanh Hoa, has been receiving numerous phone calls and offers from sales representatives (sales staff) attempting to sell shrimp larvae.

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Shrimp larvae quantity and quality: Dependent on imported parent shrimp

With a total area of nearly 10 hectares, including approximately 4 hectares dedicated to farming ponds, and the remaining area used for settling ponds, the Ninh Phu Aquaculture Cooperative utilizes Semi-Biofloc technology in combination with a 2-3 stage farming method. This approach allows the cooperative to stock shrimp larvae 3 to 4 times per year. Each time they release larvae, the cooperative stocks up to 5 million white-leg shrimp larvae.

Due to the large-scale production and frequent releases of larvae, the cooperative has become one of the most sought-after locations by shrimp larvae traders, with sales representatives regularly visiting to promote their products.

Mr. Le Minh Chinh, the director of the cooperative, notes that there is a growing presence of facilities and businesses involved in the production and trading of brackish water shrimp larvae. When the stocking season arrives, the market for shrimp larvae becomes increasingly vibrant and competitive, with numerous brands and a wide range of prices available.

“Currently, the prices for white-leg shrimp larvae vary significantly. For well-known companies with established brands, the price ranges from 100-135 VND per larvae, while for lesser-known brands without a reputation, the price is much lower, around 50-60 VND per larvae", Mr. Chinh explained.

To attract buyers, many sellers implement various promotional strategies, such as offering additional shrimp larvae for free or even running “buy one, get one free” campaigns. However, Mr. Chinh cautions that purchasing shrimp larvae nowadays can be a gamble, with the risk of receiving poor-quality larvae despite attractive offers.

"Farmers often believe that they have purchased high-quality shrimp seed because no diseases were detected during the initial checks. However, after about a month of farming, the shrimp unexpectedly fall ill, leading to significant losses. One of the most concerning diseases nowadays is EHP (Enterocytozoon hepatopenaei), which has become a serious threat to shrimp farming", expressed Mr. Chinh.

Mr. Le Van Que, the Chairman of the Ninh Thuan Aquaculture Seed Association, also pointed out that in recent years, the shrimp seed market has become increasingly diverse. Typically, shrimp farmers obtain their seed through intermediaries such as agents or traders. In some cases, farmers take the initiative to directly contact shrimp seed production companies after conducting their own research to buy the seed.

Unfortunately, over the past few years, many businesses have been processing shrimp seed on behalf of traders, which has led to the emergence of counterfeit shrimp seed. These counterfeit products include fake packaging and false branding, significantly impacting the operations of legitimate shrimp seed producers.

To tackle this problem, the Ninh Thuan Aquaculture Seed Association has proposed that the provincial People’s Committee grant its members the right to use the officially recognized Ninh Thuan shrimp seed trademark, which is certified by the National Office of Intellectual Property. This would create a clear distinction between genuine Ninh Thuan shrimp seed and counterfeit products, as it would come with traceability labels and geographical indication.

How to buy high-quality shrimp seed?

On this matter, Mr. Que emphasized that each region has its own unique environmental and climatic conditions, which makes it important for farmers to understand the origin and characteristics of the parent shrimp used in seed production. This is a crucial factor, as different strains of parent shrimp can result in significantly different quality and performance.

For instance, disease-resistant shrimp strains are often chosen for farming in areas with less favorable conditions. These strains are more suited to regions with low salinity, areas that have been previously affected by disease, or regions experiencing frequent weather changes.

On the other hand, fast-growing shrimp varieties are typically selected for farming in regions with stable temperatures, good water quality, and optimal farming conditions.

When selecting the strain of shrimp seed to farm, farmers should prioritize purchasing from reputable hatcheries that have quality certifications and clear origins, especially in provinces that have advantages in shrimp seed production and have been designated by the central government as concentrated breeding centers. These locations are home to many businesses that comply with all the necessary conditions for shrimp seed production, with strict supervision from specialized agencies.

"Farmers should prioritize buying seed from hatcheries that apply advanced technology, follow standardized production processes, and have reliable production infrastructure, especially with biosecurity systems in place during the seedling rearing process", Mr. Que shared.

So, what defines high-quality shrimp seed? According to the Chairman of the Ninh Thuan Aquaculture Seed Association, high-quality shrimp seed is characterized by uniform size, with no significant size variation between individuals. Typically, the uniformity rate should not exceed 10%. The ideal size is usually from PL12 (1 cm). Healthy shrimp seed has bright colors, transparent bodies, and no cloudy flesh or black spots. The tail of the shrimp should fan out widely, and the antennae should be straight and not bent or broken. Healthy shrimp seed tends to swim quickly and responds well to stimuli. When placed in water, the shrimp should swim against the current and distribute evenly in the tank.

Before making a purchase, farmers are advised to carry out a PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) test on the shrimp seed to verify that it is free from harmful diseases such as white spot syndrome, yellow head disease, and hepatopancreatic necrosis. It is also essential to check for any signs of parasitic infections or bacterial contamination.

Mr. Huynh Quang Huy, the Director of the Fisheries Sub-Department of Binh Thuan Province, mentioned that the quality of shrimp seed produced in Binh Thuan has become a focal point for businesses in the area. These companies are increasingly investing in modern technologies and methods to improve production and effectively manage disease outbreaks. As a result, when it comes to buying quality shrimp seed, it is crucial for farmers to gather sufficient information and identify well-established companies with a good reputation to place their orders from.

In some cases, farmers might even visit the company’s office in person to receive guidance and inspect important documents such as the source of the parent shrimp, production logs, and to take shrimp seed samples for further quality testing. It is important that every batch of shrimp seed sold is accompanied by a sales invoice, a quarantine certificate, and packaged with proper branding and labeling from the company.

Tightening shrimp seed management

According to Mr. Huynh Quang Huy, the entire province currently has 127 establishments with 755 hatcheries involved in the production and nursing of aquatic seeds. Among these, more than 50 companies are domestically invested, while two companies have foreign investment. The shrimp seed production facilities are mainly concentrated in the communes of Vinh Tan and Chi Cong (Tuy Phong District) and the commune of Tien Thanh (Phan Thiet City).

Annually, the shrimp seed production and consumption output in Binh Thuan Province exceeds 25 billion shrimp, which is supplied to shrimp farming areas across the country, particularly the Mekong Delta (ĐBSCL) region—an area known for its large-scale industrial shrimp farming.

To maintain the reputation of the Binh Thuan shrimp seed brand, the Fisheries Department has recently strengthened its inspection efforts, ensuring that 100% of facilities involved in shrimp seed production have certification confirming their eligibility to produce and nurse aquatic species.

In addition, the Fisheries Department has also increased its collaboration with the Department of Livestock and Veterinary Services and the Inspection Department of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (now the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment) to organize surprise inspections of the conditions for producing and nursing aquatic species, verifying the origin of the shrimp seeds, and conducting quarantine checks.

Particularly, many shrimp seed production facilities in the province are increasingly being upgraded with modern production scales, equipment, and skilled technical teams to produce high-quality shrimp seeds that meet market demands.

According to Mr. Huy, many enterprises in the area, such as Vietnam-Australia Seafood Corporation, Nam central seafood investment company, Vietnam high-tech fisheries company - Binh Thuan branch, and Truong Thinh company, have implemented technologies such as RT-PCR diagnostic methods for aquatic diseases, water treatment technology for production, live algae cultivation technology for feeding shrimp larvae, and temperature regulation technologies for larvae nurturing. These innovations aim to enhance the productivity and quality of shrimp seeds.

$1 = VND 25.320 - Source: Vietcombank.