Technical and scale efficiency of intensive white-leg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) farming in Vietnam: A data envelopment analysis
22/12/21 08:59AM
Pham Thi Anh Ngoc, Vu Le, Thuyen Thi Pham, et al. Aquaculture economics & management: 1-16, 2021.
Abstract:
AbstractIntensive shrimp production is a potential pathway to
increasing export quantity and meeting Vietnamese national export
targets set for the 2020?2030 period. Vietnamese farmers need to
efficiently manage their shrimp farming to compete in global markets.
This study aims to investigate input- and output-specific technical and
scale inefficiencies in Vietnamese shrimp farming practice and their
determinants. The research used a survey among 200 shrimp farmers from
Ca Mau, Kien Giang, and Soc Trang provinces in Vietnam, and applied a
two-stage approach with a Russell-type (input?output) directional
distance function for measuring input- and output-specific technical
inefficiency, and a bootstrap truncated regression for exploring the
determinants of inefficiencies. Results show that main drivers of
technical inefficiencies in Vietnamese intensive white-leg shrimp farms
are inappropriate management of energy (inefficiency of 32%), seed
(inefficiency of 22%) and shrimp yield production (88%). Furthermore,
male farmers experienced in shrimp farming, with proper training and
applied plastic-lined ponds are generally better in managing pond areas,
use of seed, feed, and labor. Technological innovations, better post
larvae quality and their stocking management can help to improve shrimp
farming performance.