"Local farmers in the southernmost province of Ca Mau have been able to significantly increase their income. They now have higher productivity and prices for their organic shrimp, and get paid for environmental services," Nguyen Thi Bich Thuy, project manager, said at a project review meeting of the first phase held in HCM City last week.
The goal of the project is to help local shrimp-farming systems become more profitable by combining them with protection of mangrove forests. This enhances profitability and sustainability while also increasing coastal resilience to climate change.
The project is carried out in the Nhung Mien and Dat Mui Protected Forests in Ngoc Hien District in Ca Mau Province, with 5,300 households on an area of 24,000 hectares.
Households have been provided training in managing household waste and forest protection, and have also been shown how to farm without industrial foods or chemicals. The training leads to NaturLand certification for farmers. The certification will allow farmers to charge five to 10 per cent more per kilogramme of shrimp.
From 2014 to 2015, the Nhung Mien Protected Forest expanded by 175 hectares. The project planted trees on 80 ha, while the remaining were planted by local farmers.
"The project has connected farmers, businesses and local authorities to ensure a livelihood for local residents as well as protection of mangrove forests in the context of climate change," Thuy said.
In the next phase of the project, expansion of international certification for organic shrimp will be important as it will help Vietnamese exporters in larger markets.
Improving shrimp feeding and attracting more resources for shrimp and forest research; increasing awareness of local communities; and co-operation among partners in forest planting, protection, management and aqua-culture production will all be needed, Thuy said.
Policies on payment for environmental services related to aquaculture must be completed and issued soon, she said, to ensure that shrimp raising is sustainable in a time of climate change.
"The project has helped Ca Mau so much to develop organic shrimp breeding," Chau Cong Bang, deputy director of the Ca Mau Agriculture and Rural Development Department, said.
The province accounts for 28 per cent of national aquaculture and 50 per cent of national mangrove forests.
The project has the potential to be a model of shrimp feeding and forest protection.
During the 2010-2015 period, the output of aquaculture increased 2.7 per cent annually, from 7,546 tonnes in 2010 to 9,605 tonnes in 2015.
By 2020, the province targets an increase in yearly growth of 6 per cent with total capacity of 14,300 tonnes each year, of which 60,000 hectares are expected to receive international certificate for organic shrimp.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first quarter of 2026, Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached USD 1.069 billion, up 17.5% compared to the same period in 2025. This is a positive result amid an uneven global shrimp market recovery, intensifying competition among major suppliers, and continued volatility in the international trade environment. However, this growth does not reflect a broad-based recovery across the entire sector, but rather is driven mainly by strong performance in a few markets and specific product segments—most notably lobster exports to China.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tuna exports continued to decline in March 2026. Cumulatively, in the first three months of the year, export value reached USD 208 million, down 4% compared to the same period in 2025. The export landscape shows clear divergence across markets: while the U.S. and EU remain challenging, markets such as Russia, the Middle East, Egypt, the Philippines, and Mexico have emerged as growth bright spots.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In Quang Ngai Province, shrimp farming costs are rising sharply due to लगातार increases in feed, fuel, and input material prices, while farm-gate shrimp prices are declining. This has significantly reduced farmers’ profit margins and increased production risks.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tilapia exports are experiencing impressive growth, reflecting expanding global demand as well as the sector’s development potential. However, behind the strong growth figures lie limitations in production capacity and supply chains, highlighting the need for sustainable development in the coming period.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s pangasius exports to the Middle East in 2025 and early 2026 have shown notable growth. However, escalating geopolitical tensions in the region have increasingly impacted export activities since March. This situation presents a challenge of balancing market expansion opportunities with rising trade risks.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The Quang Tri Department of Agriculture and Environment has instructed localities to base their stocking schedules on actual conditions in each farming area, while developing plans, allocating resources, and implementing synchronized measures for disease prevention and disaster risk management in aquaculture production.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first two months of 2026, Vietnam’s exports of fish cakes and surimi exceeded USD 45 million, up 7% compared to the same period in 2025, indicating a positive outlook for this product segment amid recovering demand in many markets.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) During the week from April 4th to 10th, 2026, Quang Ngai province intensified its monitoring and law enforcement activities with the determination to eliminate illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing practices.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Thanh Hoa’s shrimp sector is undergoing a strong transformation by accelerating the adoption of high technology, helping to improve productivity, increase profits, and meet market demands. The province currently has about 4,100 hectares of shrimp farming, with output continuing to rise despite stable farming area, mainly due to the shift from traditional methods to intensive and super-intensive farming.
(vasep.com.vn) Amid ongoing volatility in global seafood trade, Vietnam’s crab exports have made a fairly positive start to 2026. According to Vietnam Customs statistics, export turnover in the first two months of 2026 reached nearly USD 55 million, up 24% compared to the same period in 2025 and more than 2.2 times higher than in the same period of 2024. This indicates that crab exports are entering 2026 with stronger growth momentum, particularly in Asian markets.
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