“There was a window last fall when some farmers were able to book feed at $380 per ton,” said Jimmy Avery, Mississippi State University Extension aquaculture specialist and director of the Southern Regional Aquaculture Center. “Feed costs stayed around $400 per ton for the early part of the growing season but skyrocketed to almost $570 per ton in the last few weeks.
“Couple that increase with fish prices falling from $1.35 per pound to 75 cents per pound, and there is no doubt that the majority of farmers will lose money until something turns around,” he said.
Given current feed prices and the rate catfish convert feed to body weight, about 70 cents per pound of fish goes to feed costs. If fish sell for 75 cents per pound, that leaves only five cents per pound to cover all other farm expenses. That amount is only a fraction of what growers need just to break even.
Avery, who is also a researcher with the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, said this blow comes on the heels of decreased demand for Mississippi farm-raised catfish.
“The short supply of catfish last summer prevented many processors from supplying long-time customers with the product they needed,” he said. “To make sure the supply to these customers would not be interrupted this year, processors loaded freezers in anticipation of spring demand. In the meantime, many of those customers had found fish substitutes, other fish or severely reduced the amount of fish on their menus.”
He said the resulting high inventory led to a dramatic price decline for the producers.
John Michael Riley, MSU Extension agricultural economist, said the number of catfish produced began dropping in 2009, which led to price increases starting in 2010. The decline in production on the farm continued through the first half of 2012. However, production has begun to level.
“For a while, higher prices helped alleviate the increases in feed costs, but the recent run up in those costs, coupled with a drop in output, could push more producers out of business,” he said.
Some think the high cost of feed is related to ethanol production, which relies heavily on corn. A federal mandate requires all gasoline for consumer vehicles to be blended with nine per cent ethanol. This demand for ethanol reduces the corn available for consumption. Consumers, politicians and even the United Nations have petitioned the United States government to lift the federal mandate to relieve pressure on the corn market for the sake of the world’s food and feed needs.
Lifting the mandate would not automatically reduce the stress on catfish growers, Mr Riley said.
“Corn accounts for roughly 20 per cent of the catfish feed, so it would have less of an impact than on cattle or poultry, but any relief would help,” he said.
To help the nation’s meat producers, the US Department of Agriculture recently announced a $170 million meat buy-up. That includes up to $10 million in catfish. While this effort may help decrease the inventory processors are holding, it is a small portion of the nation’s catfish production. The value of catfish products sold in the United States was $546.82 million over the last 12 months.
At its peak in 2001, Mississippi’s catfish industry had 113,500 acres in ponds. In 2012, only 51,200 acres of ponds are in catfish production, down 4,300 acres from 2011.
Roughly 82 per cent of these ponds are in the Delta, and 18 percent are in east Mississippi. The state produced 215 million pounds of catfish in 2011, representing 51 percent of the US total and a production value of $222 million.
(seafoo.vasep.com.vn) Ca Mau Province is stepping up efforts to protect aquatic resources and promote transparent and sustainable fisheries, joining the country’s efforts to have the European Commission (EC) remove its “yellow card” warning for illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam has strengthened its position in China’s massive seafood market, becoming the largest lobster supplier while maintaining a dominant share of the country’s imported pangasius.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietfish 2026 was more than just a larger exhibition space. Through B2B meetings, booth discussions, production-chain visits and post-show feedback, businesses and buyers found something more concrete: suitable suppliers, processing capabilities, technology solutions, new markets and a foundation for building long-term trust and partnerships.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tilapia exports to the United States declined significantly in the first seven months of 2026. Cumulative export value reached US$18 million, down 42% from the same period in 2025. In July alone, exports amounted to just US$2 million, plunging 70%, indicating a clear slowdown in import demand from the US market.
(vasep.com.vn) At the seminar “Global Seafood Markets and the Future Workforce: Trends, Opportunities and Directions for the Sustainable Development of Vietnam’s Fisheries Sector,” held as part of VIETFISH 2026, Ms. Shirlene Maria Anthonysamy, Fisheries Officer (Markets) and GLOBEFISH Coordinator at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), presented initiatives aimed at promoting youth participation in fisheries and aquaculture.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first seven months of 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports to the United States reached US$189 million, down 8% year-on-year. In July alone, export value reached US$22 million, down 28%. This trend indicates that U.S. demand for pangasius imports has remained relatively cautious this year, as importers tend to maintain moderate inventory levels and limit stockpiling.
(vasep.com.vn) After three days at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC) in Ho Chi Minh City, the Vietnam International Fisheries Exhibition – VIETFISH 2026 – has successfully concluded, leaving a strong impression in terms of scale, visitor numbers, the quality of business connections, and innovative activities. With more than 14,000 m² of exhibition space, 335 companies, 568 booths, participation from representatives of 17 countries and territories, and nearly 15,000 visitors, VIETFISH 2026 has once again affirmed its role as an important meeting point for Vietnam’s and the global seafood industry.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Held as part of Vietfish 2026 from August 19–21 at SECC in Ho Chi Minh City, a series of five specialized seminars provided the seafood business community with updates on markets, technology, standards, human resources and cooperation opportunities. With the participation of experts, international organizations, government agencies and businesses from Vietnam and abroad, the seminars created an additional platform for professional exchange alongside the exhibition’s product showcases and business networking activities.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On the morning of August 19, 2026, the Vietnam International Seafood Exhibition – VIETFISH 2026 officially opened at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC) in Ho Chi Minh City. With 568 booths representing 335 companies, alongside the presence of senior government officials, local authorities, diplomatic missions and international partners, VIETFISH 2026 kicks off three days of business networking, technology exchange and market engagement under the overarching theme “Innovation and Sustainability.”
The Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) officially announces that the Vietnam International Seafood Exhibition (Vietfish 2026) will take place from August 19–21, 2026, at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC), Ho Chi Minh City.
VASEP - HIỆP HỘI CHẾ BIẾN VÀ XUẤT KHẨU THỦY SẢN VIỆT NAM
Chịu trách nhiệm: Ông Nguyễn Hoài Nam - Phó Tổng thư ký Hiệp hội
Đơn vị vận hành trang tin điện tử: Trung tâm VASEP.PRO
Trưởng Ban Biên tập: Bà Phùng Thị Kim Thu
Giấy phép hoạt động Trang thông tin điện tử tổng hợp số 138/GP-TTĐT, ngày 01/10/2013 của Bộ Thông tin và Truyền thông
Tel: (+84 24) 3.7715055 – (ext.203); email: kimthu@vasep.com.vn
Trụ sở: Số 7 đường Nguyễn Quý Cảnh, Phường An Phú, Quận 2, Tp.Hồ Chí Minh
Tel: (+84) 28.628.10430 - Fax: (+84) 28.628.10437 - Email: vasephcm@vasep.com.vn
VPĐD: số 10, Nguyễn Công Hoan, Ngọc Khánh, Ba Đình, Hà Nội
Tel: (+84 24) 3.7715055 - Fax: (+84 24) 37715084 - Email: vasephn@vasep.com.vn