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Vietnamese shrimp producers can ignite exports using Genics technology – VietShrimp 2024

By Dirk Kruger 

After a disappointing 2023 season, Vietnamese shrimp producers are planning for a year of growth in 2024, and Genics is committed to being part of the industry’s recovery & expansion. 

Last week, I visited the 2024 VietShrimp Aquaculture conference in Ca Mau as part of the Australia–Vietnam partnership for Climate-Smart Agriculture delegation to find out what’s on Vietnamese shrimp producers’ minds and how Genics can help them achieve their goals. 


Photos below and at top: while I was in Vietnam, I took the opportunity to visit Truc Anh BioTech and meet the CEO & Chairman Xuan Anh Le.


Vietnam’s new initiatives in shrimp export markets 

VietShrimp is co-hosted by the Vietnam Fisheries Society (VINAFIS). Talking about the importance of Vietnam’s shrimp industry, VINAFIS Chairman Nguyen Viet Thang said that shrimp is a vital export for his country, delivering nearly US$4 billion to the economy each year. But in 2023, the sector saw an export slump of nearly 20%, caused by rapid modernization by South American and Indian producers. This hardship has prompted Vietnamese industry thought leaders to refocus on their own pathways to expansion through quality assurance and biosecurity credibility. 

In line with their export resurgence goals, the VietShrimp organizers designated the key themes of this year’s conference as technological development, sustainable production, quality assurance, and farming efficiency.   



Vietnam’s shrimp farmers are targeting US$4.3 billion in exports for 2024, a goal dependent on recapturing US and Chinese customers who make up 45% of export value. Return to form in these export markets hinges on taking a competitive stance on biosecurity and quality control, which are high priorities for foreign buyers.  

Speaking at the conference, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Phùng Đức Tiến emphasized that Vietnam’s shrimp industry must integrate smoothly with the world economy in coming years. 

“We believe that VietShrimp 2024 will be a bridge between the business community, partners, and customers,” the Deputy Minister said. “It’s a forum for the shrimp industry to connect with the world, with learning experiences and techniques of advanced countries to upgrade the Vietnamese shrimp industry in the future.”  


Photo above: meeting local government officials in Soc Trang Province. 


As I talked to farmers and industry leaders at VietShrimp, it confirmed that the pain points for Vietnamese shrimp producers are closely tied to technology adoption.  

The farmers I talked to are looking for ways to enhance efficiency by optimizing breeding programs for better yield. They also need reliable disease testing technology for very early pathogen detection to prevent catastrophic stock losses from pathogens.  

I had a lot of positive interactions with shrimp producers who could see the connection between Genics technology and the need to implement reliable strategies for product improvement. Genics Comprehensive Shrimp Solutions Suite can support sustainable growth for Vietnam’s farmers, as it has in other parts of Asia and Latin America. 


Genics has export growth solutions for Vietnamese shrimp producers  

Genics has already demonstrated its value as a breeding and biosecurity partner for shrimp producers in Australia, South America, and Indonesia.  

Indonesia’s shrimp industry has many legitimate points of comparison with its Vietnamese counterpart. Both industries are in steep technology adoption phases, and both countries’ producers want to expand their domestic potential onto the world stage. 

Talking with us this year, Henry Wijaya, the chairman of Indonesian shrimp producer Prima Larvae Bali, said that Genics services have proven to be a valuable investment for his company.  

“We have peace of mind, knowing that Genics is an accredited pathogen detection lab. We can also say to our customers that we have external pathogen verification by an internationally recognized provider with a great reputation,” Henry said in a recent case study interview. 

That sentiment aligns with the aspirations of Vietnamese producers right now. In an increasingly competitive export market, Vietnam’s farmers need to deliver shrimp that meet the highest quality standards and are certified disease-free by reliable testing methodologies

Genics industry-leading genetic profiling, digital phenotyping, and pathogen detection technology can give Vietnamese farmers the competitive edge they need. US and Chinese importers are looking for quality assurance standards linked to reliable, state-of-the-art technology, and Genics shrimp services meet that expectation. 

I made many new connections with local producers at VietShrimp and I’m looking forward to helping them get the full export advantages of Genics partnership.  


What can Genics do to help grow your farming business?



About the author: 

Dirk Krueger is a business development & commercial executive with more than twenty-five years of experience in senior strategic leadership roles with global companies. As Chief Commercial Officer at Genics, Dirk works closely with agricultural producers throughout the world to help them realize their productivity goals and grow their businesses. 


ACUACAM 2024: Genics presents cutting-edge shrimp production technology in Mexico 

By Michelle Vintimilla 


Last week, the aquaculture industry gathered at Mexico’s ACUACAM 2024.  

Representing Genics at ACUACAM were myself, Dr. Jeremy Brawner, Genics Head of Genetic Solutions, who traveled from Florida for the event, and our local Genics representative in Mexico, Luis Raymundo. 

While we were at the conference, we delivered an informative presentation and had the opportunity to meet with many interesting people, all passionate about the future of shrimp farming in the Americas. 

(Photo above, left to right: me – Michelle Vintimilla, Genics Client Success Manager, Latin America – Dr. Jeremy Brawner, Genics Head of Genetic Solutions, and Luis Raymundo, Genics México) 


Sharing new ideas and practical skills 

Jeremy and I gave a keynote talk at ACUACAM, emphasizing the importance of early pathogen detection and genomic breeding management in uplifting shrimp farming productivity.  

We also hosted a hands-on workshop on shrimp dissection for PCR pathogen analysis. This skill is vital for farmers, shrimp farm staff, and aquaculture health technicians who want to get the most out of testing and laboratory services. It was a great experience sharing knowledge and practical skills that can make such a big difference in shrimp producer’s productivity. If you missed our presentation, you can find educational videos about sample dissection on the Genics website. 


(Photo above: me hosting sample dissection workshop for ACUACAM attendees.) 


Throughout ACUACAM, people were especially interested in hearing about Genics’ latest technological innovations, like Shrimp MultiPath2.0, our new digital phenotyping system, genotyping services, and breeding programs. 


Shrimp MultiPath2.0 is now available for customers in the Americas 

Genics R&D department has introduced services in 2024 that dramatically raise the bar on testing speed, accuracy, and commercial accessibility.   

The introduction of Genics Shrimp MultiPath2.0 is a significant leap forward in early warning pathogen detection. Releasing this latest iteration of our groundbreaking testing service enables the simultaneous detection of 18 shrimp pathogens by a single test, the new industry benchmark.  

Shrimp MultiPath2.0 offers unrivaled sensitivity and accuracy, and with laboratory data turnaround times of five days or less, it offers shrimp farmers in Latin America an unprecedented ability to prevent disease outbreaks. 

You can find out more about Shrimp MultiPath2.0 here. 


Advanced Digital Phenotyping 

Jeremy and I gave the ACUACAM crowd a sneak preview of Genics’ latest tech R&D: an innovative system for digital shrimp phenotyping, leveraging AI to produce sophisticated, rich data outputs. Coupled with Genics ShrimpID genotyping services, this new technology will give our customers the most detailed shrimp pedigree information currently available. As well as facilitating advanced breeding program management, this groundbreaking system will enable genetically-based disease resistance. Genics will be launching this new service shortly, so be sure to sign up for updates


Genics is all about helping shrimp farmers grow their business 

Reflecting on our recent experience at ACUACAM, Jeremy and I were both so happy to be able to interact directly with this energetic and forward-looking community. There’s so much enthusiasm to propel the shrimp industry to new technological heights, and Genics is proud to be at the forefront of that growth.  

Farmers partner with Genics because we’re committed to being the most accurate, fastest, and most innovative aquaculture service provider. We’re also fully aware that every farm has its own unique goals and challenges, so we tailor our services to the needs of each individual customer.  


Hi, I’m Michelle Vintimilla

I’m Genics Client Success Manager in Latin America. I’m based in Ecuador, and I look after Genics’ customers throughout the Americas, North to South. I earned my Master’s Degree in Aquaculture from Ghent University, Belgium, and I have many years of industry experience in shrimp grow-out production, health management, and breeding programs.   

Let’s talk about how Genics can increase your farm’s productivity. Please book a free consultation.