Pangasius industry drives economic growth in Dong Thap
The pangasius sector, one of Dong Thap's five key agricultural industries, continued its stable growth in 2024, making a significant contribution to the province's agricultural, forestry, and fishery production value.
Contributing over 17% to the province’s total production value
At the second Dong Thap Pangasius Festival in 2024, co-organized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) and the Dong Thap People’s Committee, a conference reviewed the sector’s performance in 2024 and discussed plans for 2025.
Nguyen Phuoc Thien, Vice Chairman of the Dong Thap People’s Committee, highlighted that the province’s pangasius industry accounted for over 17% of its agricultural production value in 2024. Dong Thap has 902 hatcheries and nurseries, producing approximately 17 billion pangasius fry and 1.3 billion juveniles this year.
Additionally, the province is home to 27 pangasius processing and exporting companies with a combined annual capacity of 700,000 tons. In 2024, pangasius processing reached an estimated 465,000 tons (up 2.97% from 2023), and export revenue hit $650 million (up 3.38%). Over 83% of pangasius farmers are linked with feed producers and processing companies, reflecting strengthened production-consumption linkages.
The province’s pangasius production value reached approximately 8.8 trillion VND in 2024, an increase of 2.86% year-on-year. Farming areas totaled 2,630 hectares, producing an estimated 540,000 tons (up 15,000 tons). Stable demand and lower feed costs yielded better profits for farmers, with fish prices ranging from 26,400 to 27,600 VND/kg.
Embracing technology and expanding to potential markets
To ensure sustainable development, stakeholders emphasized the need for advanced technologies and value-added products. Notably, the Halal market offers immense potential, especially in the Middle East, where seafood demand is surging. However, meeting Halal standards is a prerequisite for accessing this lucrative market.
Vietnam has about 50 Halal-certified companies, and with the global Halal economy projected to grow from $7.7 trillion in 2025 to $10 trillion in 2028, pangasius plays a critical role in Vietnam’s agricultural exports.
Phung Duc Tien, Deputy Minister of MARD, underscored the importance of industrial-scale breeding programs, strict management of antibiotic use, and enhanced quality control for hatcheries. Developing closed production chains and leveraging by-products are essential strategies to boost the sector’s efficiency.
In 2025, Dong Thap aims to expand pangasius farming areas to 2,640 hectares, producing 555,000 tons and generating 9.05 trillion VND in production value. Export revenue is expected to exceed $980 million, with a focus on digitizing farm identification codes, ensuring food safety certifications, and increasing the application of good agricultural practices (GAP).
The province also plans to establish a high-quality breeding hub to support the entire Mekong Delta region, further solidifying its leadership in Vietnam’s pangasius industry.
VFM
