An Giang province: Pangasius farming under international standards

Accordingly, the province will build a brand name for An Giang seafood recognized worldwide and favored by consumers. Since 2003, the province has paid attention to setting standards on seafood quality and implemented action programs on seafood quality, safety and hygiene.

Training

An Giang focused on training SQF, HACCP specialists to teach farmers techniques of safe farming under SQF 1000CM standard and skills in selecting high quality fish seed. Specialists also guide farmers to implement farming process and quality management under SQF standard and file application to acquire the SQF 1000CM certification. Enterprises are also instructed to obtain SQF 2000CM certification.

SQF 1000CM; SQF 2000CM; GlobalGAP certification

An Giang Fisheries Import Export Joint Stock Company (AGIFISH) was granted SQF 2000CM certification. The company’s fish farming facilities with the area of 53.65 hectares also received SQF 1000CM certification.

Anvifish Joint Stock Company gained SQF 2000CM certification for the company and SQF 1000CM certification for its fish farming facilities. GlobalGAP standard was awarded to the company’s fish farming area of 120 hectares with production of 85,000 MT per year at Vinh Binh commune (Chau Thanh district), Kien An commune (Cho Moi district), My Hoa Hung commune (Long Xuyen city, An Giang).

An Giang Afiex Company was granted SQF 2000CM certification and its fish farming households with the 7.55 hectare area were certified to gain SQF 1000CM standard.NTACO Corp’s pangasius farming area of 30 hectares was certified to meet GlobalGAP standard. The area with production of 20,000 MT per year is in My Thoi ward, Long Xuyen city, An Giang. An Giang Aquatic Breeding Production Center with the annual producing capacity of 300,000 million fries and 20,000,000 fish seed was offered SQF 1000CM and GlobalGAP certification.

Nam Viet Corporation - Navico was recognized to obtain GlobalGAP for its fish farming area of 34 hectare with 40,000 MT output per year in My Hoa Hung commune, Long Xuyen city (14 hectares) and Vinh Trach commune, Thoai Son district (20 hectares), An Giang.Truong Giang Fishery Holdings Corporation located in Dong Thap province was offered GlobalGAP certification for its 10 hectare fish farming area with the annual production of 3,000 MT.

Aquafeed products of An Giang animal feed factory (AFIEX) were awarded GlobalGAP certification. Its capacity reached 30,000 MT per year in My Thanh ward, Long Xuyen city, An Giang.

Total fish farming area of An Giang complying with international standards reached 240 hectares with the annual production of 105,000 MT, accounting for 40 percent of total raw material output for export.

GlobalGAP standard is required for all steps in fish production chain such as seed, feed, commercial farming, processing and exporting. At present, An Giang is favorable to develop sustainable fish production thanks to guarantee of quality seed and feed because both An Giang Aquatic Breeding Production Center and Aquafeed products of An Giang animal feed factory (AFIEX) were granted GlobalGAP.

Owing to training course, commercial fish farming households are aware of food safety and hygiene, their responsibility and interests. They avoid using banned chemicals and antibiotics in farming, apply technical standards in producing, control closely producing processes to prevent spreading harmful substances, meet importers’ demand, protect farming environment.

After being trained, fish farming households joined voluntarily in safe fish farming group, built safe and quality fish farming area and established a close linkage with fish processors and exporters.

Complying with SQF 1000CM, GlobalGAP standards in fish farming helps to ease concerns of seafood processors in purchasing raw material, reduces losses from contaminated seafood products and increases prestige and quality of An Giang pangasius in the international market.

Fish farmers who receive SQF 1000CM, GlobalGAP certification can reduce risks in fish production, production costs, products’ price, stabilize products’ quality and increase products’ economic value.

Developing sustainable aquaculture contributes to creating jobs, raising farmers and fishermen’s income, ensuring social welfare, eradicating poverty and ensuring national security.