Shrimp-rice farms to be expanded to 200,000 hectares in 2022

Shrimp-rice farming (one shrimp crop and one rice crop in the same farming area) is an effective model in the Mekong Delta region with high economic efficiency, reaching 60-70 million VND (2,643-3,000 USD) per hectare each year on average.

Rice cultivation in shrimp raising areas is a way to remove salt from the rice fields during the rainy season, limit salt intrusion, and prolong the life-span of land use.

In order to deal with problems hindering the expansion of the model, the Directorate of Fisheries asked regional localities to develop the irrigation system to meet the water supply demand, while improving farmers’ cultivation techniques.

Alongside, the directorate also underlined the need to study rice varieties that are more resilient to saltwater as well as shrimp and rice farming technologies to enhance products’ quality and reduce negative impacts on the environment. It is necessary to prioritise application of the VietGAP standard to small-scale farms.

Last year, total shrimp-rice farming area in the Mekong Delta region was nearly 189,000 hectares, accounting for 26.8 percent of total shrimp breeding area of eight regional localities, producing about 105,000 tonnes of shrimps./.