(vasep.com.vn) Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) has set a target of cutting post harvest losses of fish from 20 percent currently to less than 10 per cent by 2020. To reach the target, MARD urged Directorate of Fisheries (D-Fish) and localities in 2012 to focus on appropriate measures to reduce post harvest losses of fish.
Accordingly, relevant agencies need to use financial supports of government from agricultural and fisheries extension to invest in advanced preservation technologies to reduce loss in the process of fishing. Fishermen must be guided to understand preservation techniques and operate preservation equipments and machines.
Moreover, MARD encouraged a closer cooperation among Vietnam Fisheries Society (VINAFIS), Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Processors (VASEP) and relevant agencies under MARD, D-Fish and localities. MARD also highlighted the importance of linkage in production chain from capturing, preserving, processing and trading.
MARD directed to urgently replace outdate equipments and backward technologies by advanced and appropriate equipments to preserve aquatic products.
Local Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development need to reorganize of offshore and near shore fishing activities and focus on implementing model “Fishing team”, pushing the linkage between fishing vessels. An other important task is accelerating to manage fishing ports and creating fish market in compliance with legal regulations and fishing activities in upcoming period.