Currently Ho Chi Minh City has 4 Koi fish producers including Hai Thanh Koi Farm, Saigon Aquarium, Chau Tong Ornamental Fish Farm, Vo Van Sanh Ornamental Fish Farm. All these units have been certified to be free of the spring viraemia and Herpes virus and are able to ship the fish to the U.S.
“This month we will ship the first 11 containers of Koi fish at the size 15 - 20 cm for 10 - 30 USD/pc to Hawaii (USA)”, said Mr. Le Huu Dung, Director of Hai Thanh Koi Farm – the largest Koi producer in Vietnam with more than 100,000 fish.
Mr. Tong Huu Chau – the owner of Chau Tong Farm said the 3 remaining establishments will export around 50,000 Koi fish to the U.S. at an average price of 15 USD/pc in the last 2 months of 2010.
Export Koi fish producers said that Vietnam only produce around several hundred thousands of fish annually while the demand of the U.S. market increases more and more. Thus, the U.S. is still a potential market for Vietnam’s Koi fish exporters.
Japanese ornamental carp (usually called Koi fish) or Nishikigoi in Japanese was created by cross-breeding technique 200 years ago. Koi fish lifespan might reach 100 years. They have four basic colors of white, red, yellow and silver grey. Koi fish has different names such as Kohaku, Sanke, Showa, Kin-Showa, Kujaku, Hi-Utsuri, Shusui, Komonryu, Koromo, and Showa Sanshoku depending on each region.