Ca Mau to become regional aquaculture center

That assessment was made by Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Tran Thanh Nam at the opening ceremony of the 2nd Ca Mau Crab Festival 2025, held on the evening of November 16 at Phan Ngoc Hien Square (An Xuyen Ward, Ca Mau Province). The event not only honors the unique specialty of the Cape region but also affirms the province's determination to build the "Ca Mau Crab" brand to national and international prominence.

The opening ceremony was attended by many central and local leaders, including Vice Head of the Central Organizing Commission Nguyen Thanh Tam; Standing Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Farmers' Union Phan Nhu Nguyen; President of the Vietnam Cooperative Alliance Cao Xuan Thu Van; Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Tran Thanh Nam; along with representatives of various ministries, sectors, and leaders of several Southwestern provinces.

The festival "Scent of the forest - Taste of the sea" with over 270 booths

The 2nd Ca Mau Crab Festival, themed "Scent of the forest - Taste of the sea," took place from November 16 to 22, featuring many rich activities, including the artistic program "Ca Mau Crab: Scent of the forest - Taste of the sea," which was broadcast live on Ca Mau Television, Ho Chi Minh City Television, and many other provincial and city television stations. The exhibition and trade space featured over 270 booths showcasing OCOP products, startup products, innovation, and unique cuisine from crab and regional specialties.

Mr. Pham Van Thieu, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People's Council, and Head of the Steering Committee for the 2nd Ca Mau Crab Festival 2025, emphasized: Ca Mau Crab is highly regarded not only for its high quality and leading national output of over 36,000 tons/year but is also a cultural symbol, embodying the convergence of nature and the labor of the people in the Cape region. The combined shrimp-crab-fish farming models under the mangrove canopy have affirmed the right direction, simultaneously bringing economic efficiency and contributing to sustainable ecological environment protection. This is the core value that Ca Mau always cherishes, preserves, and promotes.

"Ca Mau is a special land of convergence between the forest and the sea, where hardworking and creative people have utilized natural conditions to build the seafood industry into an economic pillar. Within the vast mangrove ecosystem, the sea crab is favored by nature, its meat is delicious, intensely sweet, and preferred by consumers both domestically and internationally," Mr. Thieu stressed.

Besides the opening ceremony, the Ca Mau Crab Festival also organized many other events, such as the International Seminar "Innovation for the Sustainable Development of Vietnam's Sea Crab Industry," with the participation of numerous domestic and international experts and businesses.

In addition, there were cultural, sports, and tourism activities, including the Southern Amateur Music and Singing Festival (Don ca tai tu), the Ca Mau Marathon - PETRO Vietnam Cup, demonstrations of crab dishes, folk games, and a tour program of the ecological crab farming model.

The "Hello Ca Mau" program was also held in Ho Chi Minh City to promote the local image, specialty products, and introduce investment potential to the business community.

Ca Mau - the seafood center of the region

Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment Tran Thanh Nam acknowledged the province's efforts in developing the crab industry. He assessed that Ca Mau Crab is a product with high nutritional value, firm and sweet meat, and is favored by the market. The fact that the product has been granted a certificate of geographical indication protection further affirms its prestige and quality.

Deputy Minister Tran Thanh Nam proposed that Ca Mau province develop chain links with large corporations to expand production and export markets. He also recommended building a system for preliminary processing, preservation, and deep processing, linking businesses, cooperatives, and farming households.

He urged the replication of the sustainable shrimp-crab-mangrove model; the application of international standards and enhanced traceability; and the promotion of digital technology, electronic logs, and QR codes in traceability, aquaculture area management, and e-commerce.

According to Deputy Minister Nam, with the spirit of innovation, along with advantages in natural conditions, labor resources, and local proactiveness, Ca Mau has a sufficient foundation to become a strong seafood center of the region, where production integrates the economy, the environment, and the lives of the people.

This year's festival is expected to create a new impetus for the Ca Mau crab industry, helping this endemic product reach further on the national and international seafood map.