This is the very first specialised shrimp exhibition hosted on large scale in Vietnam, which opened in the Mekong Delta province of Bac Lieu on June 24.

The three-day event, jointly organised by the Vietnam Fisheries Society and the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, drew the participation of 100 domestic and foreign enterprises.

Vietshrimp 2016 will serve as an opportunity to introduce the achievements, opportunities and risks to Vietnam’s shrimp industry, promote Vietnamese shrimp to the world market, distribute new and qualified aquatic products and seek connections for business development.

At the event are workshops covering different topics regarding the shrimp industry and a photo exhibition displaying more than 100 selected photos reflecting the working life of fishermen in Vietnam, as well as some typical domestic shrimp production models.

With a 60km shoreline, good processing factories and shrimp breeding facilities, Bac Lieu has solid advantages to develop the saltwater shrimp industry. The province is currently home to 120,000 hectares of shrimp cultivation area.

However, local shrimp breeders are still vague about shrimp farming techniques. The exhibition will offer a chance for local people to get access to high-tech applications in shrimp breeding.

Vietnam’s annual shrimp export value stands at US$4 billion, making up over 50% of the country’s total aquaculture shipments.