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.
(vasep.com.vn) On November 11, 2026, in Can Tho, the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) will organize the Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS 2026) under the theme “Seafood Market Outlook 2027–2029: Opportunities and Headroom for Double-Digit Export Growth.”
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Business leader Do Ngoc Tai, General Director of Tai Kim Anh Seafood Processing Joint Stock Company, was honored by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) with the title “Outstanding Vietnamese Entrepreneur – Thanh Giong Cup 2026” at a ceremony celebrating Vietnam Entrepreneurs’ Day (October 13). The event took place on the evening of October 11, 2026, at the National Convention Center in Hanoi.
(vasep.com.vn) The global tilapia market is becoming increasingly segmented, not only among producing countries but also by product type and destination market. Supply is divided into groups with distinct competitive advantages: large volumes of whole fish and frozen fillets from Asia, high-value fresh fillets from Latin America, and substantial domestic consumption in several major producing countries.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tuna exports to the UK grew in the first eight months of 2026, despite signs of slowing import demand in the market. However, sharp fluctuations in orders, competition from major suppliers, and new traceability requirements are creating challenges for Vietnamese exporters.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam is stepping up efforts to combat illegal fishing, protect marine ecosystems, expand digital monitoring, and develop science-based management to ensure the sea can support communities and the economy for generations to come.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The EU remains a critical market for Vietnamese shrimp; however, purchasing demand and import patterns are undergoing notable changes. According to Vietnam Customs data, as of September 15, 2026, Vietnam’s shrimp exports to the EU reached nearly $374 million, down 5% year-over-year and accounting for 10.7% of the country’s total shrimp export value. Meanwhile, the EU’s stotal shrimp imports through July 2026 contracted by 7% in volume, exhibiting divergent trends across Southern Europe, Northwestern Europe and Eastern Europe. These dynamics necessitate that Vietnamese enterprises closely monitor individualized market demand, rather than approaching the EU as a monolithic consumer block.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first eight months of 2026, Vietnam’s exports of surimi and fish cakes remained relatively stable year-over-year compared to 2025. Following a contraction in the initial months, export performance demonstrated improvement from June onward, peaking in August. However, the recovery has been uneven, characterized by divergent trends across major markets: robust growth was recorded in China, Japan, Malaysia, the United States, and Taiwan, whereas export volumes to South Korea, Indonesia, and select European markets contracted.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Pangasius remains one of Dong Thap’s key aquaculture species, with the province focusing on developing an integrated value chain covering seed production, commercial farming, deep processing and by-product utilization. The province is promoting high-tech, circular pangasius farming models featuring reduced water exchange and enhanced biosecurity, aiming to improve production efficiency and strengthen control over raw material quality.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports in September 2026 are estimated at US$1.135 billion, up 11.9% year-on-year, bringing total exports in the first nine months of the year to US$9.103 billion, up 11.4%. Behind this double-digit growth, however, increasingly divergent market trends are emerging: China–Hong Kong and ASEAN posted strong growth, while the U.S., EU and Japan all recorded declines in September.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first eight months of 2026, Brazil became the largest market for Vietnamese tilapia, with export value reaching US$44 million, up 22,142% year-on-year and accounting for 49% of Vietnam’s total tilapia exports. In August alone, exports to Brazil reached US$4 million. However, behind this remarkable growth is a market that is imposing increasingly stringent requirements on imported supplies.
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