Vietnam has become the second largest rice exporter in the world. However, the food security is still a local urgent necessity for the farmers in several parts of the country, particularly, in area where most of arable land used to low paddies have been transferred to uncertain crops causing many difficulties to farmers on their food need, write Nguyen Van Huong and Tran Huu Cuong, Hanoi University of Agriculture, Vietnam.

The Philippines Department of Agriculture is looking into the economic potential of tilanggit -- tilapia processed 'danggit-style' (like dried rabbitfish), reports Philstar.com.

(asc-aqua.org) On 21st March 2012, the ASC launched its first standard into the market with the opening of its accreditation process for Tilapia. Certifiers can now apply to become accredited; when successfully concluded this will allow them to undertake the first farm assessments against the ASC Tilapia Standard. Accreditation is done by the independent accreditation body Accreditation Services International (ASI). It marks an important and essential milestone for the ASC to realise its ambition of having the first responsibly farmed ASC-certified seafood available on the market.

(seafood.com) Retailers across the US took advantage of the influx of fresh and frozen tilapia fillets in the market to offer more promotions for tilapia during the 2012 Lenten season.

(TheFishSite) Tilapia is a worldwide fish of great commercial importance. In China, tilapia is an important species with annual production of more than 1.3 mmt, which accounted for about 45% of the total tilapia production in the world in 2008. Guangdong, Hainan and Guangxi Provinces ranked top three in annual production in China. However, with over two decades of rapid growth, tilapia aquaculture in China has been facing many challenges in the past years.

(vasep.com.vn) So far this year, Ho Chi Minh Center of freshwater fish seeds, under Sai Gon Agriculture Incorporation, has provided 10 million of tilapia seeds for farming to export.

(vasep.com.vn) The Tilapia Center of Research Institute For Aquaculture No.1 (RIA1) under Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development exported 20,000 NOVIT 4 - strain tilapia broodstocks to South America with the price of US$12/piece.The center is expanding the export markets for the coming years.

(vasep.com.vn) The Tilapia Center of Research Institute For Aquaculture No.1 (RIA1) under Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development exported 20,000 NOVIT 4 - strain tilapia broodstocks to South America with the price of US$12/piece.

(vasep.com.vn) In the context of many difficulties in pangasius farming, the diversification of other farmed aquatic species is needed to keep business. Tilapia is considered as a potential fish for export.

Colombian tilapia producer Aquabest Seafoods has received Aquaculture Stewardship Certification (ASC) for its farm C.I. Piscicola Botero S.A located in Neiva.

It’s a new age in whitefish pricing. At just over $4 a pound for fresh fillets, tilapia is holding the ceiling for all $2.50 to $4.50 range whitefish, and cod is far from it, but it wasn’t long ago that cod and tilapia were priced relatively similarly.

Research Institute for Aquaculture

Strong prices are driving Chinese tilapia farmers to harvest their fish early, causing a short supply of the larger sizes and a higher proportion of 300-500 gram fish, said industry players. Farmers are harvesting their fish as soon as possible, in part as they fear a drop in price ahead, said Landy Chow, the China representative for the exporter Siam Canadian Group.

R.H. Ward’s (Welton) tilapia farm, The Fish Company, in the United Kingdom is Europe’s first tilapia farm to attain Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP) certification, the Global Aquaculture Alliance (GAA) announced at Seafood Expo Global in Brussels, Belgium, on 6 May. It’s also the United Kingdom’s first aquaculture farm to achieve the distinction.

Worldwide tilapia production exceeded more than 4.2 million metric tons in 2012, a 6 percent increase from 2011, but experts say by 2014 it will exceed 4.5 million as demand continues to grow.