Conference comment: Dynamic opportunity in Viet Nam

"Vietnam's aquaculture industry is developing dynamically because it is well organised, supported by the government and has a strong team of scientists behind it," said Mr Cooksey during the Asia-Pacific aquaculture conference 2007, taking place in Hanoi this week.

"There is so much good water in Vietnam including fresh, brackish and marine water, that is providing Vietnam with opportunities for increased aquacultural development," He added.

According to Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) statistics, in 2006, aquaculture production reached 1.67mil tonnes and contributed US$1.7bil to a total of $3.32bil of the seafood export value.

Vietnam has become the world's third largest producer in aquacultural volume and one of the top ten seafood exporting nations.

However, Deputy Minister of MARD Nguyen Viet Thang said that a small number of Vietnamese enterprises still face difficulties in some markets due to quality issues.
Thang said that aquacultural development in Vietnam had achieved rapid growth in production and value and would develop sustainably within food safety guideline, to meet international standards.

Vietnam is now home to over 250 enterprises that are recognised to be qualified for exporting their products to markets in Europe, the US and Japan.

The Asia-Pacific aquaculture conference is attracting delegates from across the world including more than 1,000 scientists, business enterprises and officials working in or allied to the aquaculture industry.

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