FLOODS RAVAGE LOBSTER FARMS IN VIETNAM JUST WEEKS BEFORE HARVEST

By Vijian Paramasivam

PHNOM PENH, Nov 23 (Bernama) -- Thousands of Vietnamese farmers preparing to harvest their lobsters are now left in a financial quandary after days of torrential rain destroyed their cages, concerns that the losses could weigh on the country’s seafood exports this year.

The devastation comes just as farmers set to reap nearly a year’s hard work breeding lobsters ahead of the peak season, when demand for the product rises, especially during the festival period.

In central Vietnam’s Song Cau Ward in Dak Lak Province - regarded as Vietnam’s lobster capital - cages used for lobster cultivation sank in flood waters, causing damages worth thousands of dollars, and the Vietnamese media has been highlighting the issue for almost a month. 

“Local farmers said that within a single night, entire cages were swept away or sank, leaving almost nothing to salvage. Lobster stocks expected to be harvested soon have been completely lost,” reported Vietnam News. 

One of the country’s oldest news publications, Lao Dong, reported that massive floods killed 20 million lobsters in Dak Lak alone, leaving farmers in deep financial distress.

Since early November, Typhoon Kalmaegi - locally known as Storm 13 - has caused massive chaos in the country. Local media reported that there were 41 fatalities while hundreds of hectares of farmland, aquaculture and millions of livestock were destroyed.

Vietnamplus reported 3,500 hectares of crops were destroyed and over 18,000 poultry and 620 livestock were lost last week alone, with total losses estimated at RM158 million (US$38 million).

Situated along the Pacific typhoon belt, Vietnam is exposed to powerful storms and Typhoon Kalmaegi was the 13th tropical storm to hit the nation this year.

The resulting flooding - especially in central Vietnam and coastal regions - had a grave impact on millions of rural communities, as well as the economy.  Coastal fishing and marine tourism activities came to a grinding halt due to rising water levels. 

The timing of the natural disaster poses a serious threat to the country's thriving seafood industry. 

The government has an ambitious target to achieve RM46 billion (US$11 billion) seafood export earnings this year and maintain the nation’s status as the world's third-largest seafood exporter.

Shrimp exports remain a major revenue generator, reaching RM16 billion (US$3.9 billion) last year, reported Vietnam News. 

The Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) warns that exports could come under pressure this year, due to factors such as the European Union’s "yellow card" against illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing as well as stricter United States regulations on traceability and marine mammal protection under its Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA).

The 20 per cent US duties on Vietnamese exports and anti-dumping duties on shrimp exports to the US are also likely to hurt Vietnamese farmers’ livelihoods.

“VASEP forecasts that the fourth quarter of 2025 seafood exports will significantly slow down. The export situation in the first quarter of 2026 is forecasted to continue declining due to the chain reaction caused by taxes and MMPA,” reported online magazine VNEconomy early this month.

-- BERNAMA