Abandoned 39 billion VND aquatic breed production and testing project

The Quang Nam concentrated aquaculture production and testing area infrastructure project (referred to as the Project), in Binh Nam commune, Thang Binh district, Quang Nam province, was invested with more than 39 billion VND. However, after completion, it was not put into operation and was abandoned, leading to degradation and damage.

Infrastructure project for concentrated aquatic breed production and inspection area in Quang Nam. Photo: Tan Thanh.

According to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) of Quang Nam province, this project is invested by state capital from the Aquaculture and Aquatic Breeding Development Program approved by the Ministry of Fisheries (now the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development) in Decision No. 869 dated October 31, 2006. In 2009, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development transferred the project investor to the People's Committee of Quang Nam province in Document No. 1341 dated May 20, 2009, on that basis the People's Committee of the province re-approved the project as an investment project for infrastructure works of the Quang Nam concentrated seed production and inspection area.

The Project aims to build a concentrated aquaculture seed production area with complete infrastructure, meeting environmental standards and current standards prescribed by the State. The construction scale is about 200 aquaculture seed production farms. Annual capacity is 2.5 to 3 billion disease-free, quality seeds.

Clearance land area 207,662.45m2; construction 193,627.47m2, of which land area for construction of hatchery 143,972m2, fence area 169,250.00m2, architectural works 234.16m2, traffic 8,815.50m2; technical box, tank and wastewater treatment 1,232.20m2; construction of hatchery 143,972.00m2 and trees, yard 14,996.14m2.

According to our actual records, this project has a 2-storey building but many items are damaged. The floor is broken in many places, the main door and windows are also damaged. The project invests in a transformer station, but the T1 transformer station has been damaged since 2021 and is still not operating.

According to Mr. Vo Van Long - Head of the Quang Nam Fisheries Sub-Department, the project was completed in July 2015 and was handed over to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development by the Provincial Project Management Board for investment and construction of agricultural and rural development works, and this Department assigned the Quang Nam Aquaculture Sub-Department for management and use. However, from 2016 to now, due to the regulation of no longer implementing quarantine of aquatic breeds within the province, there are no regular staff at the breeding area, leading to the administrative building not being used or exploited.

It is known that in 2015 and 2016, the Department of Fisheries was allocated funds to hire security guards, maintain and repair, and cover other expenses. However, from 2017 to now, no funds have been allocated, so after the rains and storms, the items in this Project have seriously degraded.

Also according to Mr. Long, Long Thinh Hung Seafood Company Limited, Kim Hoang Seafood Seed Joint Stock Company, Nam My High-Tech Seafood Investment Company Limited proposed to allow research and investment in the Infrastructure Area and were approved in principle by the Provincial People's Committee. These enterprises have deployed the construction of 129,355/143,972m2 of land area planned for seed production facilities, with a total capacity of 17.5 billion seeds. However, these companies are not operating effectively.

According to Decision No. 143 dated January 4, 2019 of the Quang Nam Provincial Tax Department, Kim Hoang Aquatic Breeding Joint Stock Company is exempted from land rent, the exempted amount is nearly 4 billion VND. The company has paid a deposit of more than 2.2 billion VND as committed. However, the production and business situation in the first 9 months of 2024 with revenue of about 7 billion VND, a loss of nearly 8 billion VND due to failure to cover depreciation costs, operating costs, bank interest, etc.

As for Long Thinh Hung Seafood Company Limited, the Provincial People's Committee has issued a document assigning relevant departments and branches to advise on terminating the project in accordance with regulations, due to the project's slow progress and the company's inability to continue investing in construction and completing the project as committed. By April 1, 2024, the project's 24-month land use extension period has expired. Currently, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment is researching, reviewing, and advising the Provincial People's Committee to reclaim the land in accordance with the provisions of the 2024 Land Law.

According to Circular 26 dated June 30, 2016 of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development regulating the quarantine of aquatic animals and animal products, there are no longer regulations on intra-provincial quarantine. The number of quarantined breeds from other provinces is small, so since taking over management, the management agency has not used the administrative building to arrange personnel to be on duty regularly at the Infrastructure Area to perform duties.

Mr. Nguyen Xuan Vu - Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Quang Nam province said that according to regulations, the Department of Fisheries only performs specialized management tasks on aquatic breeds, so there is no need to continue using the assets of the Project; Continuing to assign the Department of Fisheries to manage, operate and exploit the Project is currently ineffective.

Faced with the above situation, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development proposed a plan to transfer the Project to Thang Binh District to re-arrange it for Binh Nam Commune, or other units in the district that need office space and other jobs. However, the matter has not yet come to an end, and currently this Project is still abandoned.

Source: https://daidoanket.vn/du-an-san-xuat-va-kiem-dinh-giong-thuy-san-39-ty-dong-bo-hoang-10293726.html