Due to the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic, the seafood consumption market is very slow due to the closure of many restaurants, schools and industrial parks, which has pushed down the prices of many types of seafood. Moreover, from the beginning of the year until now, the price of aquafeed has continuously increased, causing aquaculture farmers to struggle because they have to suffer double losses.
In Nghe An, Vinh city and Dien Chau district are implementing social distancing and isolation to prevent the COVID-19 epidemic, so the sale of aquatic products faces many difficulties. Households raising fish in cages on the Yen river (Quang Nham commune, Quang Xuong district, Thanh Hoa) are also struggling because of the epidemic. The price of farmed grouper is only 175,000 – 180,000 VND/kg while previously the lowest price was 220,000 – 250,000 VND/kg; price of sea bass decreased from 130,000 – 140,000 VND/kg to 75,000 – 90,000 VND/kg. Currently, many fish cages have reached the maximum size and need to be sold, but the sales volume is very small, and the farmers still have to raise in moderation. Meanwhile, the fact that they still have to spend money for aquafeed and care effort makes people feel like sitting on a fire.
In Dong Nai, many fish farmers said that since June, aquafeed companies have continued to announce to increase prices. Accordingly, a 25kg bag of bran will increase by 30,000 VND, this is the fourth increase since the beginning of 2021. The increase in feed prices causes the cost of aquaculture to increase, but due to the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic, the Restaurants, eateries consume very little fish, causing prices at ponds and lakes to continuously decrease, even without buyers. Particularly in La Nga Commune, Dinh Quan district, farming households have reduced 60% of farming area, the amount of fish stocked has decreased by 40% compared to the previous crop.
In the Mekong Delta, the price of raw pangasius has increased slightly. As recorded, on June 23, the price of pangasius in An Giang, Dong Thap and Can Tho city inched up to 21,000 – 22,000 VND/kg. However, because the price of aquafeed continuously increases, causing high farming costs, at about 22,300 – 23,000 VND/kg, pangasius farmers are still suffering losses.
However, the situation of exporting pangasius is getting better, it is expected that the price of pangasius will increase in the near future. According to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), Vietnam’s pangasius exports are recovering higher than expected when the turnover reached 134 million USD in May 2021, up 26% over the same period last year; bringing the total export turnover of pangasius to major markets such as the US, China … on a strong recovery momentum. Particularly for the US market, in the first 5 months of 2021, pangasius exports reached 135 million USD, up 57% compared to the same period last year.
