According to Dong Thap’s Sub-Department of Fisheries, in 2009, about 1,900ha of paddy field was used for giant freshwater prawn farming with an output of 1,907MT. Tam Nong reported the largest area for this species with 634ha, followed by Lap Vo 195ha, and Cao Lanh 109ha.
Chief of Tam Nong’s Fisheries Station, Mr. Nguyen Si Khanh, said shrimp farming brought profits to farmers in 2009 with an average amount of VND60 million per ha, even some farmers earned VND100 million per ha.
The provincial People’s Committee has approved the planning for giant freshwater prawn farming to the year of 2020, making full use of the land area available for aquaculture in a sustainable and effective manner, extending the model of farming giant freshwater prawn in rotation with rice growing (one shrimp crop-one rice crop) with an aim to efficiently tap the water raising season and create more jobs for local farmers.
The province set the target to increase the giant freshwater prawn farming area to 1,800ha in 2010, and to 6,000ha in 2020. The major farming areas include Hong Ngu townlet, and the districts of Tan Hong, Tam Nong, Thanh Binh, Cao Lanh, Thap Muoi and Lap Vo.