PM urges Bac Lieu to focus on high-tech shrimp farming
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has asked the Mekong Delta province of Bac Lieu to promote green development based on fishing, aquaculture and seafood processing, with a focus on high-tech shrimp farming.
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| Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc speaks at a working session with leaders of Bac Lieu |
Bac Lieu should become the country’s industrial centre of shrimp in terms of both shrimp fry and processed shrimp, he said, suggesting the locality employ methodical planning for the sector.
Despite limitations and challenges, with the biggest being the adverse impacts of climate change and sea level rises, Bac Lieu still has better conditions than mountainous localities to grow, PM Phuc said.
“As one of the largest shrimp producers nationwide, Bac Lieu should not be a “low-lying area” of the Mekong Delta,” he stressed, adding that with its advantages in shrimp breeding, renewable energy and agriculture, the province needs to swiftly balance its budget.
Apart from setting forth planning on shrimp farming, solar and wind power development, Bac Lieu should promote its tourism strength by organising package tours, completing the tourism ecosystem, diversifying products and connecting with major tourism projects, he said.
The leader also asked Bac Lieu to enhance its connectivity with the Mekong Delta and Ho Chi Minh City.
Applauding Bac Lieu’s achievements in 2017, PM Phuc urged the province to improve the ethics of public servants, prevent group interests, and strive to fulfill its socio-economic targets for 2018.
Bac Lieu has an aquaculture area of 1,290 sq.km. With a coastline of 56 km, three seaports and an economic exclusive zone of 20,742 sq.km, the province has favourable conditions to develop agriculture, fishing and fishery logistics.
Agriculture accounts for 43.14 percent of the province’s gross regional domestic product. Each year, the locality harvests about 210,000 tonnes of aquatic products, of which 115,000 tonnes are shrimp, with shrimp export turnover exceeding US$527 million.
Last year, the province’s economy grew by 6.5 percent and per capita income reached VND37.5 million (US$1,650). The locality contributed more than VND2.8 trillion (US$132.2 million) to the State budget.
However, climate change and sea level rise caused great losses to local agriculture in recent years.
