Mekong Delta region, the biggest seafood processing area in Vietnam, will build 32 more seafood processing factories from 2007 to 2010 in a bid to meet regional and the world’s growing demand for seafood products.
The new figure brings the region’s total number of seafood processing factories to 68, capable of producing 534,000 tons of seafood a year.
Mekong Delta expects to run 130 similar facilities by 2020 with total production capacity hitting over one million tons.
The ambitious plan is estimated to cost VND6.5 trillion or US$406 million. However, the State Treasury only ensures the funding of only 2.3 per cent of the total.
Under the plan, export volume of tra and basa catfish products to Asia, the European Union and North America will surge to 230,000 tons by 2010, bringing in nearly US$600 million. The figure is then expected to double again by 2020.
Meanwhile, local processors project 38,000 tons of seafood for domestic consumption by 2010 and 90,000 tons a decade later.
In order to fulfill the targets, local processors plan to increase the acreage of tra and basa catfish farming to 10,200 ha to generate in an output of 860,000 tons by 2010; and 16,600 ha and 1.9 million tons by 2020.
By 2010, the Mekong Delta will establish more than 2,100 small fry nursing centers, which will increase to 3,000 by 2020. These facilities are expected to yield 2.7 billion and 6.7 billion of fry by 2010 and 2020, respectively. (Vietnam & World Economy)
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