This booklet was prepared for the readers to easy understand about Vietnamese Pangasius and Pangasius industry.

Vietnamese Pangasius are highly appreciated by local and international consumers, not only for its high nutritious value, white muscle, without horizontal bones, without smell of sediment and seaweed a little of taste lipid content, but also for its safety to all consumers in all age groups.

Vietnamese Pangasius is a species of traditional farming by farmers in the Mekong River Delta. To meet high demand of global and domestic consumers, after 10 year development since 1996, fish farming area has been expanded nearly 6,000 hectares in 10 Mekong Delta provinces.

Most of fish farming area are strictly managed in accordance with national regulations on food safety and environmental protection. Until June 2012, over a half of fish farming area nationwide is audited and certified by internationally sustainable standards such as GlobalGAP, AquaGAP, BAP/GAA and ASC (recently certified). The process of auditing and certifying for Vietnamese pangasius is being carried out strictly according to requirements of consumers which proved that Vietnamese pangasius is not only loved by tasty smell with high nutritious value but it also satisfies strict requirements of the market.

Vietnam has nearly 100 pangasius exporting and processing companies in which their processing facilities are equipped modern equipments and controlled in accordance with HACCP. Pangasius products are being exported to 145 countries and territories worldwide such as EU, the U.S., ASEAN, Canada, the Middle East, China, Japan, etc. Fish export volume and value to markets reported steady annual growth of 10 - 18 percent, worth by US$1.8 - 2 billion per year in two recent years.

The booklet compiled under the Q & A form provides basic knowledge of pangasius, techniques of farming and processing, quality management, information of importers and the government’s regulations on breeding, processing and exporting specific fish products.

 

Editorial Board

Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP)

Head office: 218 street No.6, Lot A, An Phu - An Khanh New Urban Area, District 2, Hochiminh, Vietnam

Tel: (+84 8) 6281 0430 / Fax: (+84 8) 6281 0438

Email: vasephcmcity@vasep.com.vn

Rep. office: 10 Nguyen Cong Hoan street, Ngoc Khanh Ward, Ba Dinh, Ha Noi, Vietnam

Tel: (+84.4) 3771 5055; Fax: (+84.4) 3771 5084

E-mail: vasephn@vasep.com.vn

 

What kinds of feeds are used in Pangasius farming? What are relevant regulations on feed control?

Currently, most feeds are commercially produced in palleted form, manufactured in factories with good quality control. Some farms produce homemade feeds. Raw materials are selected and processed to ensure protein content of 15-25%. Some methods of mixing feed are shown as below:

Method 1

Method 2

Method 3

Raw material

Rate  (%)

Raw material

Rate  (%)

Raw material

Rate  (%)

Bran

60

Bran

50

Bran

60

Small fish,
fish oil, fish gut

30

Flour corn

25

Dough fish

20

Vegetable

10

Flour dried fish

15

Dry oil

10

 

 

Vegetable

10

Vegetable

10

Anticipated protein content (%)

15-16

 

15-16

 

16-18

Feeds and additional ingredients:

- Feeds and additional ingredients must belong to the list of aquatic feed legally circulated in Vietnam.

- Quality of homemade feeds for pangasius must suit National standards 10300:2014 mixed feeds for pangasius and tilapia.

National technical standards QCVN 01-77:2011/BNNPTNT on Animal feed mill - Conditions for veterinary hygiene and food safety.

 

National technical standards QCVN 01-78:2011/BNNPTNT on Animal feeding stuffs - Criteria of safety and maximum level in animal feed stuff.