Catfish processors must co-operate to boost quality

Links between farmers and businesses should be strengthened to ensure a sufficient supply of raw materials and quality of tra and basa catfish, according to Ngo Phuoc Hau, deputy chairman of the Viet Nam Seafood Exporters and Producers Association (VASEP).

The factories should work with breeders who have large farms and sufficient capital in an aim to share risks.

The linkages would assist farmers since bank loans still have high interest rates and are difficult to access.

Hau said Vietnamese companies must develop integrated production chains to ensure food safety from farm to table. More foreign businesses are becoming involved as well. A leading US frozen seafood importer and distributor has begun working with Proconco, a French processing factory in Viet Nam, to implement a programme to support Vietnamese farmers to establish a closed farming process, from fish feeding, farming, processing to consumption. Proconco will invest in studies to develop fish feed, farming techniques and processing methods to satisfy US requirements.

Mazzetta will distribute Vietnamese tra catfish to consumers. It plans to buy more Vietnamese tra catfish, increasing the current 600 tonnes a month to 1,000 tonnes in 2011.

The partnership improves management of material areas and helps products imported from Viet Nam to meet stricter farming regulations.

It would also increase the price to US$3-3.5 per kilo.

Seafood companies are also investing in fish farming areas. Early last year, Binca Seafoods Viet Nam began working with Ntaco Corporation to build a 35-ha fish farming area which meets the Global GAP standard.

Binca Seafoods Viet Nam invested $2 million to help An Giang households raise ecologically – friendly tra catfish with an output of 1,200 tonnes per year. It also worked with Sinbaco Co in Ca Mau to raise prawns under the same method, with an output of 2,000 tonnes each year.

Hau said high safety and hygiene standards and good environmental management would help improve the image of Vietnamese tra and basa catfish.

He said about 6,000ha of catfish could fetch $1 billion in export turnover while $1.5 billion shrimp exports needed about 600,000ha.

VASEP said that Vietnamese pangasius products had been exported to more than 120 countries and territories, including high-GDP areas like the US, the EU and Australia as well as mid-GDP areas like Russia, Mexico, North Africa and the Middle East. — VNS

Tags: Vietnam catfish, Vietnam fishing industry