DNVN - The shrimp industry maintained its growth momentum in 2024, but in terms of efficiency, farmers and processing businesses are facing many difficulties. According to experts, to increase competitiveness and achieve growth targets in 2025, the shrimp industry needs to be given impetus to break through.
Efforts to overcome challenges
According to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Processing and Export (VASEP), Vietnam's shrimp exports in 2024 are projected to reach nearly $4 billion, a 14% increase compared to 2023.
Demand for year-end festivities in the US and EU, and demand for the Lunar New Year in China, contributed to increased orders from these markets. While shrimp exports to Japan did not increase sharply, they maintained positive growth due to stable exchange rates in the last quarter of the year and the recovery of the yen.
In addition, exports to smaller markets such as Russia, Canada, Australia, the UK, and Taiwan also show significant potential in 2024.
The average export price of shrimp to various markets at the end of the year also showed positive signs. Domestic shrimp prices recovered towards the end of the year. With a scarcity of raw shrimp supply, major distribution systems worldwide increased their search for Vietnamese shrimp, despite higher prices, due to guaranteed quality and leading to a significant increase in orders.
In 2024, the shrimp industry faced many challenges.
According to a report by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development , in 2024, the area for brackish water shrimp farming is estimated to reach 737,000 hectares with a production of over 1,264,000 tons, an increase of 5.3% compared to 2023.
It is projected that by 2025, the brackish water shrimp farming area will reach 750,000 hectares, an increase of 1.8% compared to 2024, and production will reach 1,290 thousand tons, an increase of 2% compared to the previous year.
However, according to Ms. Kim Thu, a shrimp market expert at VASEP, the shrimp industry faced many major challenges last year. Market fluctuations, especially the continuous decline in raw shrimp prices, which at times even hit rock bottom compared to previous years, forced many farmers to slow down or even abandon their ponds.
While shrimp prices have plummeted, feed costs have increased, leaving farmers with unprofitable or even loss-making shrimp farming operations. In particular, during the first half of 2024, shrimp prices continued to fall across most sizes, coinciding with the peak stocking season for farmers in the Mekong Delta.
Besides price difficulties, unfavorable environmental and weather conditions, as well as diseases, have always been challenging issues for the shrimp farming season this past year.
The shrimp industry maintained its growth momentum in 2024, but in terms of efficiency, farmers and processing businesses faced many difficulties due to a shortage of raw shrimp for processing.
They need to be motivated.
To increase competitiveness and achieve growth targets in 2025, experts suggest that the shrimp farming sector needs incentives such as allowing farmers to mortgage their land and obtain bank loans normally, and granting water surface permits to people so they can borrow capital from funds or banks. Stricter controls on the circulation and consumption of poor-quality shrimp fry are also necessary.
VASEP proposes that the Government, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Industry and Trade focus economic diplomacy activities, bilateral negotiations, and targeted trade promotion in key markets to unlock advantages for Vietnamese shrimp exports.
"The Japanese market imported the most shrimp from Vietnam in 2024, but this could be overtaken by Indonesian shrimp due to high tariffs imposed on Indonesia in the US, which will lead to a shift to Japan. We need to promote negotiations with South Korea to abolish quotas on Vietnamese shrimp exports to South Korea under the VKFTA agreement, aiming to adjust the tariff rate to 0% for Vietnamese shrimp," expert Kim Thu stated.
Despite facing numerous challenges over the past year, Vietnam's shrimp industry has persevered through difficulties thanks to its efforts and determination, along with sound strategies. In the future, the industry needs to shift its mindset: instead of focusing solely on production volume and high technology, it should prioritize sustainability and efficiency, concentrating on quality, environmental protection, health, and product value.
Minh Thu
Source: https://doanhnghiepvn.vn/kinh-te/tao-dong-luc-de-nganh-tom-but-pha/20250115053215571
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