Global Shrimp Conference underway in Ho Chi Minh City

Over 310 business executives and experts from 25 countries have gathered in Ho Chi Minh City for a global shrimp conference that opened October 25 to discuss the industry's prospects for the next three years, including solutions to anti-dumping lawsuits. The U.S. Marine Shrimp Farming Program is in attendance as are various USMSFP Consortium members.
George W. Chamberlain, President of the Global Aquaculture Alliance (GAA), which sponsors the four-day conference, said by choosing Ho Chi Minh City as the host of this most important event of the global shrimp industry, GAA members have shown their recognition of Vietnam's fast development in this business.

Participants included executives from world giants such as McDonald's and Yumn Brands, and experts from major shrimp producers and consumers, especially from the US, which has sent 89 representatives. Each member mulled the prospects of shrimp production and exportation from 2006-2008, and listened to forecasted demands of the US, Japanese and the EU markets and proposed solutions to burning problems.

Chamberlain said that with a large number of small-scale shrimp farms, Vietnam has managed to make low-cost products, which is one highly competitive factor in the world market. He, however, also analysed that this advantage might be turned into a disadvantage, as it makes the country difficult to control product quality and hygiene security. He said small-sized farms should co-ordinate action and turn themselves into large-sized alliances to solve the above-mentioned problems, as well as to protect the environment for the industry's further development.

The GAA chief also said his agency supported the principle of equal and free trading. He said the recent anti-dumping lawsuit is no longer a confrontation between the shrimping circles of Vietnam and the US, but has become a global problem.

To help solve the problem, the GAA has invited leading US law firms and some companies representing countries that were sued for "dumping" shrimps, and companies representing US shrimp importers to present their viewpoints on the lawsuit.

Source:
Vietnam News Agency