An Giang: Farming quality pangasius for exports

Pangasius export situation of An Giang are farvourable, the export turnover was nearly US$200 million.

Seafood processing enterprises in the province have exported pangasius to 80 countries, including 31 Asian countries, 16 American countries, 20 European countries, 8 African countries and 4 Oceania countries. In which China was still the market with the highest proportion of production.

However, domestic pangasius price is at low level. The An Giang's development orientation of pangasius farming must follow the planning, focusing on product quality as well as having linkage chain to ensure stable output.

Mr. Tran Phung Hoang Tuan, Director of An Giang Fisheries Sub-Department said that in order to stabilize the development of pangasius industry, the province is pushing up a wide range of solutions such as strengthening inspection and examination of hatchery businesses, aquaculture establishments aiming at gradually raising the awareness of establishments in ensuring production conditions and product quality.

At the same time, the province need to develop the fisheries sector according to the planning, industrial production scale; products need to ensure quality standards to meet the requirements of the export market; producing seafood products according to the value chain associated with the consumer market.

Fishery production must be associated with protecting the ecological environment in order to increase adaptability to climate change in the future.

According to Mr. Tuan, the province is focusing on developing pangasius farming in the direction of good quality; ensuring sustainable development and promoting the linkage of product consumption.

At the same time, the implementation of An Giang 3-level pangasius breeding program has initially achieved certain results, contributing to linking and providing high quality fingerlings for businesses inside and outside the province.

An Giang has established 2 pangasius breeding teams, including AFA team with 22 members, total area for breeding was 69.12 ha.

Chau Phu District Fish Breeding team with a total of 16 members, total area was 31.8 ha. The capacity to provide about 800 million seed/year, to meet the needs of large enterprises in and outside the province.

Besides, the province has built a linkage chain of 3-level pangasius. Up to now, An Giang has built 4 linkage chain with Research institute for aquaculture number II as a broodstock fish supplying unit; An Giang Aquatic Breeding Center as a provider of fry associated with the nursery unit.

Regarding the production of pangasius value chain, farmers have accessed market information through forecasting channels of enterprises about prices, types of products, demand, consumption trends, market fluctuations, product quality requirements.

Conducting training to guide the process of commercial pangasius farming according to quality standards such as GlobalGAP, ASC, VietGAP.

Using pangasius seed from the 3-level supply system to ensure pangasius supply of quality raw materials for export to meet the requirements of importing countries to gradually improve the value of exported pangasius products in the world market.

Mobilizing seafood processing enterprises to establish a supply chain of pangasius fish products from hatchery production to export; all stages must be trained in safe and quality farming.

In order to export to the Chinese market favorably, An Giang fisheries industry has encouraged to manage pangasius products according to international standards; synchronising and uniting the stages in the production chain to ensure quality from the breed production stage to processed products for exports; checking the quality of frozen pangasius products before exports to markets around the world.

Support the farming areas of processing enterprises to export and certifying safe farming according to quality standards, linking with aquaculture households in the form of a linkage chain. The final product, pangasius on the dining table must ensure clean and traceable.