Since 2001, when the seafood industry in general, and Vietnam's shrimp industry in particular, was still in a state of disintegrated and purely agricultural development, Viet-Uc Seafood Corporation has soon claimed that "Sustainable high technology" is a challenging but inevitable orientation of the future, not only for shrimp in Vietnam but also all over the world generally.

On the journey of the past 20 years, technology has always played an important role in each segment, actively contributing to the shrimp value chain to create a farm-to-folk cycle. As such, today Viet-Uc Seafood Corporation is considered as a pioneer initiating the path: For a Sustainable High-Tech Vietnamese Shrimp Industry.

Sustainability for shrimp industry

In Vietnam many years ago, although shrimp was one of the key export earners, the source of shrimp breeding stocks was obviously dependent on imported parent shrimp. For the time being, the quality of the stocks is a prerequisite for the success or failure of a farming season.

Realizing that this is a huge risk for the input of the whole industry, since 2010, Viet-Uc Seafood Corporation has been the first and only corporation to promptly breed parent shrimp in Vietnam through joint research with CSIRO Institute under Australia's National Science and Technology Research Agency. Since then, a source of qualified shrimp breeding stocks has been produced through the application of the latest biotechnology in the world such as gene/DNA technology, molecular genetic technology and quantitative genetic technology.

Given this initiative, we are completely secure in supervising the shrimp breeding quality from the source without concerning about risks for the supply of imported parent shrimp, which brings about two major benefits to the shrimp industry:

- Firstly, it makes Vietnam proudly become one of the four superpowers that can actively acquire local parent shrimp on the spot, together with the U.S., Singapore and Thailand. This helps improve the ranking of the domestic shrimp industry on the world map.

- Secondly, thanks to the program of breeding parent shrimps, Vietnamese people themselves can decode the entire genome of the shrimp on a large scale, thereby separating and preserving the finest genes, continuing to develop these traits for future generations of parent shrimps. As a result, we can introduce more outstanding generations of shrimp stocks into the marketplace.

Currently, the generation of high-tech shrimp strain VUS LEADER 21 can grow 10% faster than before, boasts better adaptation, stronger resistance to diseases and higher quality, which has helped farmers improve profit and crop efficiency.

The technology of implanting a chip in the parent shrimp is like giving an ID card to the shrimp

Sustainability for shrimp farmers and sustainability for the environment

Overusing of antibiotics and excessive antibiotic residue in shrimp in particular and seafood in general are one existential problem of Vietnam. This problem not only harms the health of domestic consumers for generations, but also causes a bad reputation when exporting, especially to choosy markets such as Japan, the U.S., and Europe. Vietnamese shrimp brand has negatively been afflicted, resulting in lower export value and slimmer profit margin for farmers.

Consumers are completely assured when using Perfect Shrimp - cleanliness, traceable origin, food safety and hygiene

Therefore, not only does Viet-Uc have the generations of high-tech shrimp seed, the company is also the group which initiated the "Sustainable VUS" shrimp farming model, calling for completely antibiotic-free shrimp farming, even during the first period. In which, the letter S stands for Sustainability.

This is a high-tech microbial nurturing model with two processing options: Biofloc and Probiotic. After the initial lukewarm response as it is not easy to immediately change the habit that has been ingrained in shrimp farming for so long, the "Sustainable VUS" model has been being widely applied among farmers.

Sustainable VUS Model is introduced at Vietshrimp fair

Moreover, apart from being antibiotics-free, "Sustainable VUS" also saves water, minimizes the amount of water changes and protects the environment.

These new-style shrimp farms do not need to change the water daily and discharge it directly into the environment like a long-standing practice, as the water is changed only a few times during a farming season, coupled with an environmental-friendly wastewater treatment system.

Within the Viet-Uc Seafood Corporation, each high-tech commercial shrimp farming complex is a work of art in harmony, which is a part of the natural landscape. Viet Uc Nha Mat (Bac Lieu) and Viet Uc Phu My (Binh Dinh) are typical examples.

An aerial view of Viet Uc Nha Mat Hi-tech Shrimp Farming and Production Complex

From sustainability for consumers to sustainability for the community

Viet-Uc Seafood Corporation not only brings the Perfect Shrimp to the dining table of consumers in Vietnam and around the world, without the use of antibiotics, securing food safety and traceability, but also always accompanies the community.

In an interview on the occasion the corporation celebrated an important milestone of 20 years - The journey for Vietnamese people - Raising the standard for Vietnamese shrimp, Luong Thanh Van, chairman of the Board of Directors of Viet-Uc Seafood Corporation, shared:

“In the context of the complicated Covid-19 situation, we would like to use the 20th anniversary budget to support more urgent and meaningful activities for the community. In particular, not only contributing to the Covid-19 fund in the localities, the company has  directly shared with the community, especially the unsung heroes who are volunteers, frontline doctors and nurses. This is an honor for all employees of the corporation.”

Practical necessities for people in quarantine areas

More than 4 tons of shrimp from the Viet Uc High-Tech Shrimp Production Complex in Bac Lieu has been delivered by the Viet-Uc team directly to each household, each neighborhood and the Zero-Dong Market. This is a very meaningful contribution, not only providing quality meals for the people but also sharing the love and humanitarian values.

The Perfect Shrimp is donated directly to people in the quarantine area

Accompanying the frontline forces

In this Covid-19 fight, hospitals and frontline medical workers with silent sacrifices deserve to be cared for and supported, in order to give more encouragement in the fight against the pandemic together with the community.

Therefore, Viet-Uc has directly contacted each hospital in HCMC, Bac Lieu, Soc Trang, Ca Mau, Binh Dinh and Ninh Thuan to know more about the essential demand of the hospitals, thereby timely and realistically donating medical equipment such as High Flow Oxygen Ventilators (HFNC) from Fisher & Paykel (New Zealand) to these localities.

Specifically, in HCMC as the biggest Covid-19 hotspot, Viet-Uc has donated the Biomed Devices intensive multi-function ventilator (the U.S.). These TV-100 series of ICU ventilators provide vital support, not only for critical Covid-19 patients but also in many different emergencies.

Additionally, medical gears such as 3M masks and level-3 protective suits for the medical staff who interact directly with Covid-19 cases, which are very necessary at this time, have also been given to hospitals in these provinces.

Representatives of Viet-Uc Seafood Corporation hand over multifunctional ventilators for critically ill patients at Thong Nhat Hospital

A representative of Viet-Uc hands over ventilators and medical equipment to hospitals in Binh Dinh and Bac Lieu

Twenty years is just the beginning, the Journey for the Vietnamese people - Raising the standard for Vietnamese shrimp has been still going on and the community activities will continue to reach other parts of the country.

These meaningful activities will spread further and contribute to the country’s efforts to overcome the challenge of Covid-19 soon.

The love from Viet-Uc employees to the people of the country amid the Covid-19 pandemic.