MEKONG DELTA — Fish farmers in the Cuu Long (
To meet the increasing demand for the tasty treat, farmers are using a new website called Wikimapia to find the best places to breed catfish in the Tien and
The website, owned by the same company that runs the online encyclopaedia Wikipedia, has a wealth of aerial photographs and satellite images from around the world, including
Farmers say the images give them a better idea of where catfish are likely to mature best.
"This website allows me to see the whole area. I can figure out which land is suitable for fish breeding," says Nguyen Van Hoa.
The "land hunters", a name that’s beginning to catch on for these innovative fishers, have focused their efforts where the two rivers cross into Can Tho and
"These are perfect spots to breed fish because the area has strong currents to oxygenate the waters and a stable eco-system devoid of pollutants," he says.
"Just by clicking the mouse, I learn the pros and cons of each region. The only thing I have to worry about is the price of the land!" says Hoa.
With the help of his partners, Hoa has also bought 10ha of land in
Last year, fish breeders almost doubled their profits when the price of catfish reached VND15,000 (US$0.93) per kilogram.
The price jumped again in early 2007 to VND17,000 per kilogram, VND7,000 ($0.43) more than it costs to breed the lucrative fish.
Fish farmers in the area say they can now afford luxuries like cars and boats.
Land locked
But as the value of catfish rises, so too does that of the land where farmers set up shop.
In Tan Loc, another prime breeding location, 1,000 sq.m of land can cost upwards of VND280 million (US$17,000), depending on the soil and how good the fishing is.
Le Thi The, a catfish cultivator who made tens of billions of dong exporting seafood last year, says she’s seen land in Tan Loc become much more expensive.
The price for 1,000 sq.m of land went from VND50 million ($3,125) to VND200 million ($12,500) in just three years, she says.
The cost balances out because 10,000 sq.m of fishing land is worth anything from VND700 million (US$43,750) to VND1 billion (US$62,500), says The.
Many farmers haven’t balked at the steep prices because they can recover their money within a year, she says. Producing the fish costs around VND14,000 ($0.87) with the added expense of purchasing land.
Le Van Thanh, a cultivator from Binh Minh District, says there may not be enough land to meet farmers’ needs if the price stays between VND180 million ($11,250) to 200 million.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietfish 2026, the Vietnam International Seafood Exhibition, will officially take place from 19–21 August 2026 in Ho Chi Minh City. As Vietnam’s largest annual seafood trade event, organized by the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), Vietfish 2026 will once again bring together leading seafood companies, industry experts, and international partners from across the global seafood value chain.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports reached USD 1.1 billion in July 2026, up 4.8% compared to the same period in 2025. Cumulative exports in the first seven months of the year totaled nearly USD 6.86 billion, an increase of 11.5% year-on-year. Exceeding the USD 1 billion mark in July further reinforces the prospect that Vietnam’s seafood exports could surpass USD 12 billion in 2026. However, the July figures also send a clear signal that the most favorable growth period may have passed: overall export growth slowed to just 4.8%, pangasius exports fell 6.1%, tuna exports were virtually flat, while exports to the EU, South Korea, and the Middle East all recorded double-digit declines.
(vasep.com.vn) As part of the Vietnam Fisheries International Exhibition (Vietfish 2026), the seminar "Global Seafood Market and the Future Workforce: Trends, Opportunities, and Sustainable Development Pathways for Vietnam's Seafood Industry" will take place from 2:00 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. on August 19, 2026, at Convention Room B, Level 2, SECC, Ho Chi Minh City. This is the first of five specialized seminars at Vietfish 2026, focusing on key issues that are shaping the long-term development of Vietnam's seafood industry.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnamese seafood exports recorded impressive growth, generating nearly 6 billion USD in revenue during the first six months of the year, up 13% compared with the same period last year.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Fishermen in Ha Tinh are gradually overcoming difficulties to maintain the efficiency of seafood exploitation. In the first six months of 2026, the entire province achieved a production of more than 23,000 tons of seafood, worth more than 1,200 billion VND.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) June 2026 brought encouraging signs for Vietnam's tuna exports, with export value rising 20% year-on-year to nearly USD 72 million. However, this increase has yet to offset the prolonged slowdown seen in key markets such as the European Union (EU), where import demand remains weak. The outlook for the second half of the year is expected to become more challenging as freight rates continue to climb.
(vasep.com.vn) As part of the Vietnam Fisheries International Exhibition (Vietfish 2026), the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), in collaboration with the Agency for Domestic Market Management and Development under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, will organize the Domestic Seafood Supply–Demand Matching Program on the morning of August 20, 2026, at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC), Ho Chi Minh City. The program aims to foster direct business connections between Vietnamese seafood producers and processors and domestic distributors, retailers, and foodservice channels.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The Cooking Show will be one of the most engaging experiential highlights of Vietfish 2026. Taking place over three days, from August 19–21, 2026, at Hall B1, SECC, Ho Chi Minh City, the event will offer visitors a vibrant culinary space where Vietnamese seafood is showcased through its flavors, stories, and real-life culinary applications.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam's pangasius exports reached USD 205 million in June 2026, up 5% compared with the same month in 2025. Cumulative export value for the first six months of the year totaled USD 1.1 billion, an increase of 12% year-on-year. Growth was primarily driven by strong demand from China and CPTPP markets, while exports to the United States and Brazil continued to decline.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first six months of 2026, Ha Tinh province continued to implement comprehensive solutions to combat IUU fishing; strictly manage the fishing fleet, control fishing vessels entering and leaving ports, operate vessel tracking devices, trace the origin of seafood, and severely punish violations.
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