HCM City – The southern province of Bạc Liêu should focus on super intensive, high-tech shrimp farming to become the nation’s shrimp hub, Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc told an investment conference in Bạc Liêu City yesterday.

“The shrimp industry would be the answer for the development of several provinces in the Mekong Delta, including Bạc Liêu.

“Fishing, aquaculture, seafood processing, renewable energy like wind and solar, and tourism are the strengths of the province and need to be promoted.”

Agriculture accounts for nearly half the province’s GDP and local authorities should focus on production of high-quality rice, he said.

“However, a proper zoning plan is very crucial because if relevant authorities choose the right locations, it would help harness all the potential.”

He said the province should focus on improving the business environment and establish close links with the rest of the Mekong Delta, especially with neighbouring provinces like Cà Mau, Kiên Giang, and Sóc Trăng, and with HCM City with respect to both production and consumption.

It should apply the climate change model in shrimp farming to take advantage of the weather and market demand, he said.

“To achieve the goal, the province must sustain clean production with high-quality products and new technology.”

He reminded local authorities to improve infrastructure and logistics to create favourable conditions for shrimp farming and processing.

They should focus on developing human resources and addressing long-term weaknesses like transparency and lack of support for enterprises and dynamism, he said.

“Bạc Liêu is strongly impacted by climate change and rising sea levels, limiting the business environment and competitiveness.

“The province needs immediate solutions to ensure economic development and social welfare.

“The Government will keep the economy stable and create a better business environment for investors coming to Bạc Liêu.”

At the conference province leaders issued licences for 10 projects.

The event was attended by foreign and local investors, policy makers and experts.

The Prime Minister also took part in the opening ceremony of the Bạc Liêu Agricultural High-tech Application to Develop Shrimp Centre and inauguration of a shrimp farm by the Việt Úc Group.

The province has 1,290sq.km, or 50 per cent of its land, suitable for aquaculture, and produces 210,000 tonnes of various products a year. The shrimp output alone is around 116,000 tonnes while exports fetch $527 million or 13.7 per cent of the country’s total.

Bạc Liêu also has great potential in renewable energy with flat lands, few storms and floods annually, and wind and sunshine most of the year.

Last year its economy grew at 6.5 per cent, and its per capita income is around VNĐ37.5 million ($1,700). — VNS