Instead of providing official development assistance (ODA) capital for Vietnam’s aquaculture sector, Denmark will develop commercial ties between the two countries in this sector from this year.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam has reported that major agricultural, forestry and aquacultural export commodities in 2012 saw higher increases from 2011.

As much as VND301 billion (about $14 million) will be needed to further propel the development of Vietnam’s aquaculture sector in 2013. The General Department of Fisheries under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development announced the amount at its year-end meeting in Hanoi on December 25.

(vasep.com.vn) The People's Committee of Dong Thap province has issued the Decision No. 1129/QĐ-UBND-HC on approving project on investing in infrastructure and technique for aquaculture during the 2012 – 2015 period in the orientation to 2020.

(vasep.com.vn) Can Tho city is implementing the project on turning aquaculture sector into key economic sector in the orientation to export by 2020.

Viet Nam’s total seafood production in 2012 reached an estimated 5.74 million tonnes, a 5.1 per cent rise from last year, according to a report by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Representatives from as many as 100 Cambodian and Vietnamese companies gathered in Phnom Penh to seek agricultural investment opportunities between the two countries.

According to the provincipal Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the local capture output is anticipated to reach 83 thousand MT in 2012, up 10.4 percent against that of 2011.

Authorities should discuss and select standards for Vietnamese pangasius to facilitate export activity... Vietnamese pangasius producers now have to comply with multiple sets of standards, including ASC, GlobalGap (Good Agriculture Practice) and BAP (Best Aquaculture Practice).

Phu Yen’s value-added processed puffer fish products are expected to turn over 400 MT in 2014

Deep-sea fisherman Le Men has launched his own 100-tonne mother ship equipped with the latest technology to look after 10 or more fishing boats on prolonged fishing trips.

Although the State Bank has instructed five commercial banks to provide loans to pig and seafood breeders at a low interest rate of 11 percent a year, several breeders are still borrowing at 15 percent, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

A seminar to increase the managerial capacity of ocean tuna fishing was held in the central city of Da Nang on November 13.

The Tien Giang Province-based Hung Vuong Seafood Co has launched a support scheme for farmers to rescue the local pangasius industry that reached deadlock for the past several months.

The seafood export turnover of the province in October hit US$23 million, raising the 10-month value to US$250 million.