Grobest, CP Foods, Skretting expand reach in Vietnam through proprietary shrimp-farming systems

Grobest, CP Foods, and Skretting are competing for market share in Vietnam through the propagation of proprietary shrimp-farming systems.

During the 2023 Shrimp Summit, hosted by The Center for Responsible Seafood in Ho Chi Minh City from 24 to 26 July, the multinational shrimp feed manufacturers, which are dominant players in Vietnam’s shrimp feed sector, competed to sell farmers the benefits of their models.

Besides being a major aquafood producer and supplier, Taiwan-based Grobest offers specialized consulting services for farm design and management, including upgrading existing farms and ponds for customers as well as offering assistance in establishing new farms.

At the summit, Grobest touted its GROFARM model as “a total solution to profitable intensive shrimp farming in challenging environment … an open platform that brings together key stakeholders of the industry, from farmers to hatcheries and suppliers of equipment and services.”

Since the introduction of GROFARM in Vietnam in 2021, it has been implemented at more than 600 shrimp farms, “with an impressive success rate of up to 82.9 percent after three years of trial,” Grobest said in a press release.

The GROFARM approach emphasizes the importance of selecting top-quality postlarvae takes into account regional variations in seasons and tailors its strategies to meet farms’ specific requirements. It said the GROFARM model relies on an optimized feeding program that incorporates functional feeds to strengthen shrimp immunity and promote growth.  Additionally, Grobest offers a “Mobile Lab” service that conducts on-site evaluations of shrimp health and water quality to promptly address any issues that may arise, to minimize production costs per kilogram, and simultaneously maximize overall crop profitability, Grobest said.

On a tour of Minh Phu's Intensive Tank Farm, a Grobest Vietnam partner, Grobest Vietnam Technical Service Head Le Van Khoa highlighted the model's value and benefits.

"Through cost reduction in shrimp farming and enhancing the competitiveness of Vietnamese shrimp, even against major markets like Ecuador and India, GROFARM not only ensures sustainable livelihoods for Vietnamese shrimp farmers but also demonstrates Grobest's commitment to a sustainable supply of clean, high-quality shrimp and profitable returns for the industry,” Khoa said. “This is expected to position the Vietnamese shrimp industry to regain its former prominence in the international market ... 

Photo courtesy of Grobest