F0 cases appeared in some shrimp enterprises in Mekong Delta, reducing the number of workers coming to the factory by about 30%. The price of white-leg shrimp at the end of the season is constantly increasing.

On October 27, farmers in Vinh Trach and Vinh Trach Dong communes of Bac Lieu city, Bac Lieu province and Tran De and My Xuyen districts (Soc Trang) harvested the end-of-season vannamei shrimp. The price of white-leg shrimp increased from 5,000-8,000 VND/kg compared to the previous week.

Mr. Luu Truong Giang - in charge of purchasing and operating Tan Phat Seafood Co., Ltd (Tran De, Soc Trang) - said that his company is arranging workers to harvest 8 tons of white shrimp in two lined ponds in Tai Cong hamlet, Tai Van commune, Tran De district.

This area is adjacent to Sung Dinh of Soc Trang city, there are many farmers successful with farming intensive-shrimp, earning high profits. “The eight tons of shrimp we just bought are 80 pieces per kg, priced at 110,000 VND/kg. With this quantity of shrimp and good price, the pond owner earns a profit of over 300 million VND”, said Mr. Giang.

Shrimp prices are so high

At noon on the same day, Tan Phat Company and a number of shrimp enterprises in Tran De and My Xuyen districts (Soc Trang) and Bac Lieu city (Bac Lieu province) bought 20 pieces of white shrimp/kg for 245,000 VND/kg. This is the shrimp with the best price from the beginning of the season and is 66,000 VND/kg higher than the same size and same period last year.

For 25 pcs/kg, the price increased from 180,000 to 185,000 VND/kg; 30 pcs/kg at VND 164,000/kg, 40 pcs/kg at VND 146,000/kg, 50 pcs/kg with VND 131,000/kg, 60 pcs/kg with VND 121,000/kg, 70 pcs/kg with VND 115,000/kg, 80 pcs/kg with VND 110,000/kg, 90 pcs/kg with VND 101,000/kg, 100 pcs/kg 96,000 VND/kg.

This price is purchased by the enterprise at the pond, including the cost of harvesting shrimp and transporting it to the truck.

Harvesting white shrimp in tarpaulin ponds in Soc Trang. Photo:  Luu Giang.

At Khanh Sung Co., Ltd (My Xuyen, Soc Trang), the price of white-leg shrimp at the factory is 168,000 VND for 30 pieces/kg; 40 pcs/kg 145,000 VND and 100 pcs/kg 100,000 VND/kg.

The owner of a seafood business in Gia Rai town (Bac Lieu) said that some F0 cases appeared at Tan Khoi Seafood Co., Ltd and Chau Ba Thao Seafood Co., Ltd. As a result, the number of workers at many other factories in the region decreased by 30-35%. In addition to the difficulty of passing the inter-regional checkpoints, workers suffering from fear related to the epidemic should stay at home.

“Some companies have F0 causing our business to suffer because customer orders are in progress but there is a shortage of workers. Covid epidemic but shrimp prices did not decrease because near the end of the season, there were not many shrimp," said the owner of a seafood business in Gia Rai.

Covid epidemic controlled

Talking to  Zing , Mr. Do Minh Thang - Chairman of Gia Rai town People's Committee - said that the locality has 22 seafood processing factories with over 10,000 workers. Each year, the town contributes 80% of export turnover to Bac Lieu province.

According to Mr. Thang, for 2 years, the locality did not have F0 in the community. A few days ago, community F0 cases caused Tan Khoi Seafood Co., Ltd and a workshop of Chau Ba Thao Seafood Co., Ltd. to be blockaded.

“The blockade at Tan Khoi Company and a workshop of Chau Ba Thao Company did not greatly affect Gia Rai's seafood production chain. Other businesses are doing well,” Thang said.

The price of white-leg shrimp is increasing in the western provinces. Photo:  Luu Giang.

Mr. Truong Dinh Hoe - General Secretary of the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) - said that the whole country is applying adaptative measures to the Covid-19 epidemic. Therefore, when a seafood processing factory or a certain point has F0, the authorities will localize the epidemic, which will not affect the chain of other activities.

According to Mr. Hoe, the local authorities will quickly take measures to control the disease and this is not a "terrible problem".

“Locals are very interested in propaganda to raise people's awareness and take measures to control crowded areas. Especially in areas where there are exchanges of many localities because currently a province has many areas, wards and communes with different levels of epidemic, "VASEP leader shared.

Mr. Truong Dinh Hoe also said that the core issue now is the sense of protection of each individual, each small community. This is an important factor to help the economic recovery process and fight the epidemic effectively.

Source: zingnews.vn