Seafood processing enterprises are scattered overall the country. However, thanks to natural conditions, key areas have been created where a large number of enterprises and laborers are concentrated like:

The Mekong delta: Can Tho, Ca Mau, Soc Trang, An Giang provinces

The Eastern South: Ho Chi Minh city, Dong Nai, Ba Ria, Vung Tau provinces

The coastal Southern Central region: Quang Nam, Da Nang, Khanh Hoa, Binh Thuan, and Binh Dinh provinces

The Northern Central region: Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh provinces

The Red River delta: Hai Phong, Quang Ninh, Thai Binh, and Nam Dinh provinces

Energy efficiency issues in seafood processing industry

Seafood processing enterprises consume great amount of energy in production stages such as ice making, freezing, storing, steaming, and drying. Energy loss is high.

Food processing industry development plan for the period from 2006 to 2010 [Ministry of Fisheries, 2006]

Objectives:

The fisheries industry should be developed into a highly competitive exporting industry. It is aimed that the exports turnover will grow at the annual rate of 10.6%, and the seafood exports output in 2010 will reach 891,000 tons.

Directions:

a) For technology

-         Scientific researches should be enhanced and suitable advanced technologies should be adopted.

-         Training for the staff and technical workers in seafood processing enterprises has to be intensified to facilitate technology transfer.

-         Processing technologies adopted should ensure product quality and food safety standards.

b) For production scale

-         Infrastructure should be upgraded; existing processing enterprises can increase the freezing capacity by renewing the technology.

-         Large fisheries centers should be built near high tech processing industrial parks. It will help to use large amounts of seafood raw materials for making high quality products and building trademarks.

c) For location

-         The Red River delta and the Eastern South should upgrade current processing factories and set up services for fishing and seafood processing.

-         The Mekong delta, Northern Central, and coastal Central region should upgrade existing processing enterprises, build new factories with advanced technology

d) For investment mobilization

-         All economic sectors are encouraged to invest in technology reform, infrastructure and service improvement;

-         Commercial banks are encouraged to invest directly in seafood processing industry.

-         Joint ventures between domestic enterprises and foreign investors can be expanded to raise capital and upgrade seafood-processing technology.

Beer production industry sub sector

Current development and role of the beer production industry sub sector in the economy

In the last 10 years, improvements in the living standards and the increase in number of tourists coming to Vietnam have stimulated the development of the beer production industry sub sector.

In many successive years the industry has achieved the annual growth rate of 10%.

In the beer production industry sub sector there are currently 469 enterprises instead of 2 (Sai Gon and Ha Noi Beer factories) in the past.

The total output of the beer production industry was: [Yearly Statistical Book, 2005]

-         In 2000: 779.1 million liters (41.7 million liters were produced in the private sector)

-         In 2005: 1,427 million liters (207.7 million liters were produced in the private sector)

The industry not only contributes to economic growth, but also helps deal with unemployment issues. Each year it provides permanent jobs for about 20,000 employers and temporary jobs for thousands of people engaged in raw material provision and sales services.

Location of beer production enterprises

Beer production enterprises are distributed throughout the country.

The two largest beer production factories in the country - Hanoi Beverage and Saigon Beverage Corporations have been running at their maximum capacities and now are under expansion.

Other newly emerging enterprises are Hai Duong, Quang Ninh, Ha Tay, Thai Binh, Bac Giang, and Hue beer factories.

The number of beer making enterprises in the private sector amount to over 400.

Energy conservation in the beer production industry

Large amount of energy used in the beer production is provided from electricity, coal, DO oil, FO oil. Energy is used in production stages like freezing, fermentation, and pasteurization. The energy loss is still high.

Development plan for the beer production industry for the period up to 2010 [Prime Minister, 2003]

Objectives:

The beer production industry sub sector should become more developed. Products of high quality and various types should be made using domestic raw materials. Product competitiveness should be raised to meet domestic and exports requirements. The target output for 2010 is 1,500 liters of beer.

Directions:

a)     For technology:

Existing technologies and equipment needs modernizing to fully comply with Vietnamese and international regulations on product quality, food safety, and environment.

b) For production scale and allocation

Hanoi Beverage and Saigon Beverage Corporations should take the leading role in beer production and trademark creation in the efforts to meet domestic and exports requirements.

Large enterprises should attract investments for technology improvement, high quality production, and food safety management. Cooperation with foreign invested enterprises is encouraged in producing high quality beer from domestic raw materials.