Tra Vinh: Seafood Prices Remain High After Tet
The prices of seafood products like giant freshwater prawns, black tiger shrimp, white-leg shrimp, and mud crabs remain high as traders continue buying them at elevated rates even after the Lunar New Year.
The farm-gate prices of black tiger shrimp are as follows: 210,000 VND/kg for the 20-count size, 150,000 VND/kg for the 30-count size, and 125,000-130,000 VND/kg for the 40-count size. Meanwhile, white-leg shrimp are priced at 185,000 VND/kg for the 30-count size and 140,000 VND/kg for the 40-count size.
Traders have been actively purchasing giant freshwater prawns (8-12 pieces per kilogram) at farm-gate prices of 250,000-300,000 VND per kilogram since the Lunar New Year. On average, prices for black tiger shrimp, white-leg shrimp, and commercial-grade giant freshwater prawns have increased by 10,000-30,000 VND per kilogram compared to pre-Lunar New Year levels.
Currently, mollusk prices have risen by an average of 5,000-10,000 VND per kilogram. For instance, clams (50 pieces/kg) are now sold at 30,000 VND/kg, large hard clams (10 pieces/kg) at 35,000 VND/kg, and blood cockles (80-100 pieces/kg) at 110,000 VND/kg.
Regarding crabs, high-quality male crabs and grade 1 female crabs (2-3 pieces/kg) are priced at 450,000 VND/kg, while grade 2 crabs (4 pieces/kg) are sold at 260,000 VND/kg. This marks an average increase of 30,000 VND/kg compared to pre-Tet prices.
Pham Thi Hieu, a farmer practicing extensive farming in Long Vinh Commune, Duyen Hai District, shared that seafood prices typically drop sharply after the Lunar New Year. However, this year, many traders continue to buy at high prices, similar to those during the holiday season.
A promising sign for aquaculture farmers in brackish water areas, both before and during the Lunar New Year and continuing to the present, is the harvest season for giant freshwater prawns farmed under the rice-shrimp model. As a result, most farmers are earning high profits. For example, Hieu’s family, with over one hectare of land used for seasonal rice cultivation and prawn farming, earns more than 250 million VND per year from prawn sales. On average, farming giant freshwater prawns under this model yields a profit of 80,000-100,000 VND per kilogram of marketable prawns.
Nguyen Huu Tai, owner of a seafood purchasing facility at Tra Vinh market, stated that seafood prices in Tra Vinh province began rising in mid-January 2025 and have remained high. The main driver of this increase is strong demand from southern provinces and cities, particularly Ho Chi Minh City, before and during the Lunar New Year. After the holiday, the supply of seafood including mud crabs, black tiger shrimp, vannamei shrimp, and giant river prawns, declines as the harvest season ends. This limited supply fails to meet demand, keeping prices consistently high.
VFM
