An intensive shrimp breeding pond in Tiền Giang Province’s Tân Phú Đông District. — VNA/VNS Photo Minh Trí

TIỀN GIANG — Tiền Giang Province is seeking to develop aquaculture adapted to climate change to improve efficiency and create more rural livelihoods.

The Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta province has developed farming models for a number of aquatic species suitable for various localities.

They include advanced extensive shrimp farming, intensive shrimp farming, shrimp - rice farming, and high - tech shrimp farming in the coastal Gò Công Đông and Tân Phú Đông districts.

In Tân Phú Đông, also a riverine island, it has zoned major aquaculture areas.

These localities breed mostly white-legged shrimp, black-tiger shrimp and other brackish water and saltwater aquatic species of high value.

Gò Công Đông District is developing concentrated aquaculture areas for farming black tiger shrimp and white-legged shrimp for export, and a 2,200ha clam breeding area on the coast in combination with ecological-marine tourism.

To cope with climate change, the province has established shrimp - rice farming areas on a total of 130ha in Tân Phú Đông District.

Under the model, farmers breed shrimps in the dry season to cope with saltwater intrusion and grow rice in the rainy season on the same fields.

They earn average profits of VNĐ50 - 70 million (US$2,000 – 2,700) per hectare per year.

Cai Lậy and Cái Bè districts and Cai Lậy Town, in the upstream areas of the Tiền river, are expanding breeding of freshwater species with high value such as bighead catfish, tra and carp.

The province targets a harvest of 320,000 tonnes of seafood -- from both aquaculture and fishing -- this year, according to its Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

That will be from more than 14,700ha and with an estimated output of more than 200,000 tonnes.

The prices of the province’s key aquatic species have increased this year, bringing high profits and helping stabilise the lives of farmers, he added.

The price of black tiger shrimp is VNĐ175,000 - 200,000 ($7-8) a kilogramme, up VNĐ10,000 - 25,000 from last month.

The price of tra fish is VNĐ27,500 - 28,000, up VNĐ1,500 - 2,000.

Farmers who breed shrimp under the high-tech farming method have had a bumper harvest and high prices during the last off-season harvest.

The province has 38ha ofcatfish bred up to good agricultural practices (GAP) standards and 2,000ha of clam with Aquaculture Stewardship Council quality certification.

Shrimp - rice farmers in Tân Phú Đông District grow rice to GlobalGAP standards and meet shrimp biosafety standards.

The province’s seafood exports mostly include tra fish, shrimp, clam, cuttlefish, and frog. — VNS