Le Thanh Luu, head of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development’s Research Institute for Aquaculture, said that locally produced feed, must meet standards and should be produced only after careful research and an adequate investment.
The breeders lack a stable supply of imported eggs and feed, and could cut overseas transport costs if these materials were available locally. In the near future, the salmon and sturgeon output would be sufficient to supply both the local and European export markets, Mr Luu said.
Many localities have invested in breeding high-value salmon and sturgeon in the northern mountainous provinces of Lao Cai, Ha Giang and Tuyen Quang, the south-central province of Binh Thuan and the Central Highland province of Lam Dong, where natural conditions are favourable.
In Lam Dong Province, there are a total of nine organisations and individuals farming the fish, covering a combined area of 41ha. The province’s output is likely to reach 300 tonnes this year, according to its Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.
The province has targeted expanding the breeding area to 200ha by 2014, with an expected yearly capacity of 1,000 tonnes of salmon and more than 1,500 tonnes of sturgeon of various species.
The expansion could create 300 jobs and a yearly profit of VND350-400 billion (US$19.5-22 million).
Salmon And Sturgeon Production Set To Expand
VIET NAM - Farmers who breed and raise high-value sturgeon and salmon would reap higher profits if they used domestically manufactured feed, experts have said.
