40 under 40: Ngo Quoc Tuan, VP, Quoc Viet Seafood

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40 under 40: Ngo Quoc Tuan, VP, Quoc Viet Seafood ‘Current leadership in our sector could learn to be better at telling the risks from the challenges and facing them accordingly.’

Hinh MrTuanGrowing up in the family shrimp farming business, Ngo Quoc Tuan peeled his first shrimp when he was five. Today he is VP of one of Vietnam’s most successful shrimp producers and processors and has been instrumental in the company’s numerous sustainability certifications.

IntraFish Media: How did you enter the seafood industry and why? What drew you to it as a career?
Ngo Quoc Tuan: The seafood industry, especially the shrimp farming and processing industry, has been my family’s business for two generations. My father started it and I was born in a house filled with shrimp during a harvesting season.
So I have seen a lot of shrimp during my whole life. anti anxiety. I peeled the first shrimp when I was five years old. I love its taste — I can eat shrimp everyday.
The seafood industry is very interesting. It requires a lot of hard work and integrity.
There are many challenges — I learn new things everyday — and I am happy to find the solutions for them.
IFM: What do you aim to achieve in the sector?
NQT: I want to master sustainable aquaculture practices and understand market trends to help all the farmers who we have had relationships with for generations, and help our customers to find solutions to their challenges in the seafood industry.
If we develop successful businesses together, with corporate social responsibility in mind, our family business will last for many more generations.
IFM: Where do you see yourself in 10 years time?
NQT: In 10 years time, I can see myself still working hard and enjoying the seafood industry.
IFM: In your view, what are the seafood industry’s biggest future challenges?
NQT: The seafood industry’s biggest future challenges are environmental pollution; existing and new diseases causing mortality and creating big losses for the farmers and supply shortages; https://www.glenerinpharmacy.com/buy-viagra-online/ food safety issues; rising costs; market fluctuations; bankruptcies; El Nino and slavery scandals.
IFM: What kind of people does the industry need to face these challenges and take it forward?
NQT: The kind of people the industry needs to face the challenges and take it forward are the leaders who have a strong heritage in the industry, live their life and love their career in the sector.
They are hard working and reputable people.
They also need understanding and support from the governments, NGOs, customers and consumers. Then, they need to make a long-term responsible commitment to face the challenges and yield commercial outcomes for everyone in the industry.
IFM: What could current leadership in your sector learn to be better at?
NQT: Current leadership in our sector could learn to be better at telling the risks from the challenges and facing them accordingly, building the industry for today and for the future.
IFM: What is the perception of the seafood industry as a career choice amongst younger people, do you think?
NQT: I think the perception of the seafood industry as a career choice amongst younger people is that it is not easy, sometimes hard to understand and forecast, very hard work. However, it is interesting for people who are willing to learn and face new challenges. It is also a lot of fun meeting many new people very often in the industry and enjoying delicious and healthy seafood.
IFM: What is the single best piece of career advice you have ever received?
NQT: The best piece of career advice I have ever received is from my father: “focussing on the essentials is the key for successful business and relationships”.
IFM: What would you being doing professionally if you weren’t in your current role?
NQT: If I weren’t in my current role, I would being investing in projects which can help people have better lives.

Quoc Viet signs historic WWF Farming agreement

News Article (WWF agreement) Sept 2015

On the 4th September 2015 Quoc Viet was proud to be involved in the signing of sustainable production and trade contracts between Quoc Viet and the Doan Ket Shrimp aquaculture cooperative.

Mr. Tuan, Vice President of Quoc Viet, attended the contact signing ceremony held by the Ca Mau Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) and WWF – Vietnam.

The signing of this historic agreement is the initial step connecting farmers, producers and consumers together through a responsible and sustainable shrimp supply chain.

Through this farming contract Quoc Viet have committed to supporting small scale shrimp farmers to comply with international standards of social and environmental responsibilities, by purchasing their sustainably produced shrimp.

This in turn provides both stable income for small scale producers and a reliable ongoing supply of sustainable produced shrimp for Quoc Viet to trade to international markets.

‘Quoc Viet Co. Ltd commits to support and invest for the small-scale shrimp farmers in accordance with the farming contract articles for a long-term sustainable cooperation for responsible shrimp production in compliance with the ASC standards and other international standards, which express their socio-environmental responsibilities’, said Mr. Tuan, Vice President of Quoc Viet.

The Doan Ket co-operative of small-scale farmers has a total of 107 hectares of farming area, with a production capacity of approximately 200 tons of raw shrimp per year.

Quoc Viet increasing sustainability among the Mangroves

News Article (SNV agreement) Sept 2015

Quoc Viet is pleased to announce the signing of an agreement with SNV, a global not for profit development organisation supporting sustainable shrimp production and mangrove conservation.

SNV’s Mangroves and Markets project focuses within the Ca Mau Province of Vietnam to enhance sustainability of the aquaculture sector and improve access to organic certification.

On September 3rd 2015, a ceremony was held to celebrate the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Quoc Viet, SNV, the Ca Mau Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) and the Dat Mui Forest Management Board (FMB).

Quoc Viet, in conjunction with the other parties, expressed their commitment to joining technical and financial resources to support smallholder shrimp farmers in increasing their capacities and awareness to achieve organic certification.

Quoc Viet Vice President, Mr Ngo Quoc Tuan said that the company will not only pursue efforts to successfully implement the MoU in the coming years, but will work diligently to exceed the agreement in order to achieve greater impacts.

Mr Tuan added that integrated mangrove-shrimp farming is the way forward for a sustainable Vietnamese shrimp industry.

The signing of this agreement marks the beginning of a significant collaboration between diverse stakeholders, working towards a common goal of sustainability and inclusive development within the Ca Mau region.