Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and An Giang People’s Committee held a conference for preliminary sum-up of pangasius production and consumption; and development of the Project of pangasius production upon the association of the Government, enterprise and farmers on August 21.
According to D – Fisheries, Vietnam’s pangasius has been struggling with barriers imposed by importers in eight months of 2018. Chairman of Vietnam pangasius Association Dương Quốc Nghĩa said that there are 4,033 hectares of pangasius farming ponds in the Mekong Delta, leading the harvest of 814,086 tons. Price of material in the first half of the year is between 25,000 VND and 27,000 VND per kilogram which is 4,500 VND and 7,000 VND higher than average price in 2017.
In Quốc’s opinion, the fact that pangasius was sold at higher price has encouraged farmers to pursue fish fries production. Total fish fries farming ponds of Mekong Delta reaches 3,587 hectares, which is 800 hectares higher than the same period last year, mainly recorded in An Giang, Đồng Tháp, and Long An. In the first three months of 2018, young pangasius was sold at 60,000 VND or 70,000 VND for one kilogram of 30 fries and 70,000 VND or 80,000 VND for one kilogram of 50 fries. However the price slightly diminished in May with 30,000 VND or 35,000 VND for one kilogram of 30 fries. General Secretary of VASEP Trương Đình Hòe said that total pangasius export revenue reached 1,198 million USD in eight months of the year, up 19,3% year on year.
An Giang has provided enterprises and farmers inside and outside the province and outside with over one billion fingerlings and 300 million fries. The association of the Government, enterprises and farmers for pangasius production has been well developed. Three parties are fully aware of their rights and obligations in sharing benefits and taking risks upon cooperation agreement and contract of pangasius consumption made by farmers and seafood enterprises inside and outside the province.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Vũ Văn Tám emphasized the importance of the association among the Government, enterprises and farmers to develop high quality pangasius. It satisfies the increasingly demand of fries with trademark and traceability assurance, also appeals the participation of economic parties in order to develop pangasius industry sustainably. Enterprises are considered play the vital part of the association.
To sum up, Minister Nguyễn Xuân Cường said that 2018 is the first year when pangasius exports made a breakthrough with over two billion USD. One of significant solutions for Vietnam’s pangasius to develop sustainably is the rearrangement of production including young fish, feed, farming and processing for export. Additionally, it is important to apply advanced technology and science, diversify products, put VAT products first and especially focus on the expansion of imports from countries all over the world.
An agreement of association of Research Institute for Aquaculture No.2, An Giang Fish Fries Center, Cần Thơ Garden and Animal Center, Mừng Liên Company and Vietnam – Australia Group was sign in the conference.
VFM
