SWEET AND SOUR SHRIMP ( A critical Review by Mala UEC2B ) May 20, 2003 Second Draft Vietnams shrimp

industry is a dilemma because it provides benefits and desolation at the same time. It can give profits for the farmers and the investors while it can also create some desolation or misery for them if the business is not as expected. This is the issue discussed in the article Sweet and sour shrimp, published in Far Eastern Economic Review on September 5, 2002. The purpose of the author, Margot Cohen, is to inform and raise awareness of the risks of shrimp industry in Vietnam and suggests the government should encounter the problems that could occur in the future. Firstly, the author begins by giving a story of the American-Vietnamese entrepreneur, Dinh Duc Huu, who does not worry about the shrimp industrys risk. He has invested $5 million in new shrimp farm in Vietnam. He says that the shrimp industry is a fragile industry because it is difficult to treat and raise shrimp. The second point mentioned by the author is, even though there are some risks in the shrimp business the government strongly encourages it because it has the potential to be one bright export commodity in the future, earn foreign exchange, increase income and also reduce the poverty. The author also gives ways to diminish financial risk, such as collecting resources, developing ponds and developing freshwater shrimp. The author gives both points of view that while the shrimp industry gives big profits, if success, it also offers some miseries. This business is high risk for poor people if they get involved directly. Indeed, it only gives few values in foreign exchange, rather than increases it, and the price is not guaranteed to be stable. If there is oversupplied then

the price will go down. The author also reminds the government that the quality will be uncontrollable due to over-production and less technical equipment. This condition will lead to environmental damages. Finally, the author gives some suggestions for the government. She proposes that the government should carry out better preparation rather than push over production. The Government also should ensure sustainable improvement, which will encourage the business into low density and low cost organic farming. She says that the farmers and the government should consider some alternative business, which is cheaper and it is less financial risks. The government should overcome these problems before the nation faces a big problem in the future. This article was published in Far Eastern Economic Review so it is aimed to people who are interested in economics and perhaps interested in investing their funds in the shrimp industry, especially in Vietnam. When the readers read the sub heading, they will clearly know the issue in this article and what the author will argue about. It shows in sentence Should the government promote this risky business to reduce poverty? It clearly shows that she will argue that a shrimp industry is a risky business and government should consider its effects rather than just reduce poverty in a short term. It also shows the purpose of the author that she will raise awareness of investors, the farmers and the Vietnams government about the risks of a shrimp industry in Vietnam. Even though she mentions about the profits of the shrimp industry, she only focuses on negative question about the risks of its business. The authors tone is positive at the beginning because she explains about the benefits of a shrimp industry then she turns to negative tone when she goes to explain about the negative effects of shrimp industry. She

is willing to convince the readers that shrimps business could lead the nations into longterm problems in the future. She aims to warn the investor and also everyone who will get involved in the shrimp business, including the government and the farmers that this business would bring some problems in the future if they do not consider its effect and only focuses on the profits. Cohen uses a range of evidence to support her argument that the shrimp business has more risks by showing some examples that happened and providing some reliable opinions from experts such as Nguyen Huu Dung, general secretary of the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers, who is reliable source. She shows the price of black tiger shrimp has declined in the past few years as proof that the price is not guaranteed to be stable, however she does not mention where the data comes from. The author may live in Vietnam and she concerns about shrimp industry so I think she has some knowledge about this topic. She also interviews farmer or entrepreneur, who get involved directly in the shrimp business and their opinions are reliable. There are some weaknesses of the evidence that the author gives. Some statistics that she shows are current but not reliable because she does not mention where they are from. The author also gives more attention to the negative side of shrimp business and tries to make the readers think that the shrimp business is a highly risky business so that they should not turn to that business. It can be seen from the sentence It is pushing people into this gamble and make them more addicted to it. Overall, the article is well written as the author presents a strong argument to answer her question whether the government should promote this business in spite of the risks. She hopes that the readers will answer that the government should not promote this

business before being well prepared and planned. Compared to Haglers article (1997), there is a similar opinion that the shrimp business can cause environmental damage while Cohen still mentions the benefits of the shrimp business in her article, Hagler (1997) strictly disagrees with the development of the shrimp business for the reduction of poverty because this business only makes some people rich while others are getting poorer. This opinion can make Cohens argument stronger that the government should not promote this business and should make better planning before running this business. In conclusion, this article explains Vietnams shrimp industry, which provides benefits and desolation at the same time. The author also suggests the government should encounter the problems that could occur in the future. It has strong evidence and provides some facts at the shrimp industry in Vietnam. In my opinion, I agree with Cohens argument that the shrimp business has high risks and causes environmental damage, however the government can expand this business as long the government also promotes and provides technical equipment and knowledge about this business. The government should conduct better preparation and set up the local farmer with good technology and sufficient knowledge.

References: Cohen, M 2002, Sweet and sour shrimp, Far Eastern Economic Review, 5 Sept. pp. 38. Hagler, M 1997, Shrimp: the devastating delicacy Overview, Greenpeace, viewed 1 May 2003, <http://www.greenpeaceusa.org/reports/boidiversity/shrimp/shrmp01.html>