Vietnam to prioritise industrial aquaculture

Speaking at the Asia-Pacific Aquaculture Conference, under the theme Positioning for Profit', on December 11 in Ho Chi Minh City, he said that the Asia-Pacific is the largest aquaculture region in the world. In 2010, the output of its farmed products reached 53.1 million tonnes, accounting for 89 percent of the sector's global output.

Vietnam harvested 3.27 million tonnes from the sea in 2012, representing 55.2 percent of its total aquatic production, a year-on-year increase of 7.2 percent. It is the third largest aquaculture country in the region and among the top 10 exporters of aquatic products in the world, he added.

Nine Asia-Pacific nations - China, India, Vietnam, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Thailand, Myanmar, the Philippines and Japan - were listed in the 10 countries with the highest aquaculture outputs and values in 2010.

The region currently consumes approximately 116 million tonnes of aquatic products per year. The figure is predicted to increase by 16-20 million tonnes annually from now until 2020, and 25 million tonnes each year between 2020 and 2030.

During this period, the region will also promote aquaculture instead of catching at sea to satisfy the growing demand.

The conference, which opened on December 10, has been co-organised by the Vietnamese ministry and the Asian Pacific Chapter of the World Aquaculture Society. The four-day event is set to include several symposia.

A trade show is also to be held on the sideline of the conference, drawing 173 regional businesses to introduce research results, achievements and aquatic products.

(Source: Nhandannewspaperonline)