Mekong tra fish farmers to form association

The Mekong Delta in southern Vietnam will establish a tra fish association next year to promote the product and protect local farmers, an industry official said.

Truong Dinh Hoe, secretary general of Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Processors, said an association for farmers of tra fish, or pangasius, would improve their position in dealing with buyers including seafood processors.

He said the new association would help the Mekong Delta region set up a long term plan to ensure stable supplies for the sector.

The Mekong Delta accounts for more than 60 percent of Vietnames total seafood production. Its tra fish alone accounted for 32 percent of the country’s seafood export revenues last year.

However, many tra fish farmers in the region incurred huge losses this year and had to quit breeding. Industry insiders worry that shrinking fish areas would lead to critical raw material shortages for processing enterprises next year.

Source: TBKTSG

Tags: Mekong tra fish, Vietnam Seafood