VietNamNet Bridge - Viet Nam takes the lead among the world's shrimp supplier community for the highest number of businesses that have been granted four-star Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) certification.

According to the Viet Nam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), the four-star BAP certification is the highest level issued by Global Aquaculture Alliance.

It defines the most important elements of responsible aquaculture and provides quantitative guidelines to evaluate adherence to practices for processing plants, farms, hatcheries, and feed mills.

Some 67 Vietnamese businesses hold the BAP certification, of which 12 are four-star certification. Meanwhile, Thailand has 68 businesses holding the certification, seven of which are four-star ones; China has 26 certified businesses holding the certification, with two of them four-star.

VASEP said Viet Nam has three key export markets: Japan, the US, and the European Union. The country has been the No1 shrimp supplier in Japan, mainly large-sized tiger prawns and valued-added shrimp products.

Besides them, South Korea and ASEAN have been valued as potential markets thanks to free trade agreements among countries that will soon come into effect as well as the ASEAN Economic Community, which will be established by the end of this year.

VASEP noted that domestic firms should take advantage of the country's leading position in exporting large-sized tiger prawns by ensuring stable supply sources, good processing capacity, prestige, and quality in the market. They should not only meet regulations on food safety but also take responsibility for the safety of the society and environment as well.

VNS