(pangasius-vietnam.com) Currently
Flood happened in the early September hurt pangasius farmers in the Mekong River Delta, especially in Dong Thap and An Giang province (two largest fish farming areas in the country). According to the statistics of Dong Thap Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, until 19th October 2011, loss of local fisheries industry caused by flood amounted to 1,886 MT of fish (worth VND37.5 billion) in the area of 616 hectares.
In An Giang province, 134 hectares of aquaculture area was damaged with lost value of VND11.7 billion in which pangasius farming area was hit the most because fish farmers have just stocked fish frying in many ponds and a remarkable number of hatcheries were also damaged. Besides, in the provinces of Can Tho, Vinh Long, Tien Giang, 20 MT of fish juveniles were lost in some farming ponds and hatcheries.
In recent weeks, the price of pangasius seed has continuously increased because of loss of pangasius seed in the flood, high demand for restocking from farmers.
Currently, in the Mekong River Delta, the price of pangasius seed rose compared to that of the late October in which fish frying (sized 2 centimeters) is priced at VND1,700-1,900 per piece, up VND100 per piece, fish frying (sized 3,000 pieces per kilogram) is priced at VND120 – 150 per piece, up VND10 per piece.
Heavy losses of pangasius farming ponds, fish seed as well as the recent shortage of raw fish, the amount of raw fish in 2012 is unlikely to meet the demand for processing and exporting because the farming ponds have just restocked and the fish seed is not enough for farming ponds in the upcoming time.