Digital app for shrimp industry launched

In order to help shrimp producers to keep up with market updates and relevant policies, Vietnam Shrimp Forum launched a digital app on March 25.

Available on both iOS and Android platforms, the digital application for Vietnam Shrimp Forum will make good existing platforms' shortcomings to overcome including unlimited number of members, easy-to-use display, separate market today column and available videos giving instructions on techniques and policies in the shrimp industry.

The application is jointly developed by the International Centre for Aquaculture & Fisheries Sustainability (ICAFIS), World Wild Fund for Nature (WWF) Vietnam and TBnet Telecomunications Joint Stock Company. It is as part of the project " The Gender Transformative and Responsible Agribusiness Investments in South East Asia phase two (GRAISEA 2) funded by the European Union, the Swedish Embassy to Vietnam and OXFAM.

Vietnam Shrimp Forum is an initiative of ICAFIS and has become an annual event since 2016. Joining the forum, attendees will have the opportunity to discuss and share solutions on sustainable development of Vietnam's shrimp industry with the focus on sciences, technologies, polices, farming models, markets, organic farming methods and other related issues.

Currently the existing online forum set up on social media platforms like Facebook, Zalo has limited the number of members, allowing a maximum of 1,000 attendees. Additionally, it's difficult to look up old information and data can be saved for only 3 months.

Director General of Directorate of Fisheries Tran Dinh Luan said the birth of the application would facilitate people to access market quickly and make Vietnam's shrimp market transparent. In particular, users can embrace market trends systematically over years.

"All solutions we are implementing are aiming at connecting producers and consumers, meeting supply and demand. This technology application will help us shorten the distance in terms of time, space and knowledge," said Luan.

Shrimp is among four key export items of Vietnam, accounting for nearly 50% of total export value of aquatic products in 2021. Vietnamese shrimp has been putting up for sale in 164 countries and territories around the world. The shrimp industry also creates jobs and direct income for around 1.35 million labors. Average annual growth rate of the industry is 6.82%.

With the application of various shrimp production systems such as intensive and extensive shrimp farming, Vietnam can produce 900,000 tons of shrimp every year. In Vietnam, four main cultured shrimp species are river prawn, white-leg shrimp, tiger prawn and lobster.