On September 21 in Hanoi, MARD convened a conference to coordinate efforts in restoring livestock and aquaculture production in the aftermath of Typhoon Yagi.
Mr. Pham Kim Dang, Deputy Director of the Department of Livestock Production under the MARD, reported that Typhoon Yagi and its aftermath caused the deaths of 22,808 livestock and over 3 million poultry. The five hardest-hit areas include Quang Ninh, Yen Bai, Thai Nguyen, Hai Phong, and Hanoi. "Local authorities have not yet fully assessed the damage to infrastructure, barns, and other facilities," Dang stated.
Mr. Tran Dinh Luan, Director of the Directorate of Fisheries under the MARD, shared that preliminary reports from provinces stretching from Quang Ninh to Nghe An show that approximately 23,595 hectares of aquaculture farms were flooded or breached, and around 4,592 fish cages were damaged. The estimated financial loss in aquaculture due to Typhoon Yagi and subsequent floods exceeds VND2.5 trillion.
Mr. Pham Kim Dang noted that farmers are hoping for financial support, including debt extension, interest rate reductions, and assistance with disinfectant chemicals, breeding stock, animal feed, veterinary medicine, and vaccines to help restock their herds.
Director Tran Dinh Luan also recommended postponing and extending debt repayments, as well as providing specific aid to businesses, cooperatives, and households impacted by the disaster. "Crucially, we must continue addressing issues related to insurance and reinsurance to foster more sustainable aquaculture development," he added.
During the conference, MARD reported that companies and corporations in the veterinary, aquaculture, and livestock sectors have recently made substantial contributions to assist farmers in natural-disaster-hit regions.
According to the Directorate of Fisheries, the Department of Livestock Production, and the Department of Animal Health, the aquaculture sector has provided nearly VND85 billion, the livestock sector close to VND79 billion, and the veterinary sector around VND2.4 billion (in the form of cash or support such as animal feed, breeding stock, and environmental improvement materials) to aid recovery efforts following Typhoon Yagi and subsequent floods.
Acknowledging that livestock and aquaculture are the two fastest-growing sectors in agriculture but have recently sustained severe damage, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Phung Duc Tien directed the Directorate of Fisheries and the Department of Livestock Production to work with associations to swiftly organize a conference focused on providing support for these sectors.
