Dong Thap will have 1,225 hectares of pangasius farming certified GAP, exporting about 980 million USD

The goal of the above plan is to develop a sustainable and modern pangasius industry based on the application of advanced science and technology. Besides, pangasius farming will focus more on  improving productivity, quality, environmental protection, on managing  to  adapt  to climate change and on creating large, high-value commodity products. Thus, pangasius could meet the requirements of quality and food safety of the domestic and export markets.

Specifically, by 2025, the pangasius farming area will reach 2,450 hectares, the output will reach 555,000 tons (equivalent to a production value of over VND 9,046 billion, accounting for 17.2% of the structure of the agriculture, forestry and fishery industry ). In which, 50% of the commercial pangasius farming area applies and is certified with Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), which means about 1,225 hectares of GAP certified area. By 2025, the export turnover of pangasius of Dong Thap province will reach US$980 million per year.

Dong Thap province also set a target by 2025 for the pangasius industry: 100% of pangasius farming establishments will have their identification codes digitized according to regulations; 100% of commercial pangasius farming establishments are granted a certificate of eligibility for production or signed a commitment to produce safe food according to regulations; 90% of pangasius farming households participate in the production and consumption chain.

In addition, Dong Thap also sets the target to have more than 75% of high quality breeding stock for grow-out,  ensuring that 60% of pangasius hatcheries must use genetically improved fish stocks.

The plan also sets out the target that by 2025, 60% of the farming area will have a wastewater and sludge treatment system in accordance with regulations; 100% of the water supply on the main river is regularly monitored according to regulations.

There are 85-90% of pangasius farming establishments supplying raw materials for export processing. In which, over 90% of establishments achieve HACCP, ISO 2200 certification (or equivalent). Striving to achieve the common goal of the pangasius industry is to account for 10-15% of the domestic consumption market share of the total output.

At the recent conference on solutions to promote production and enhance quality control of pangasius breeds in Dong Thap province, Mr. Huynh Minh Tuan, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, said that Dong Thap  ranked first in the Mekong Delta pangasius production, with an area accounting for 33% . Dong Thap pangasius production accounts for about 35% of the whole region (the output of pangasius in the Mekong Delta region is about 5,600-5,700 hectares). 

According to Mr. Tuan, Dong Thap province has 76 breeding facilities and 1,104 pangasius hatcheries, providing about 20 billion pangasius fry and about 1.3 billion fingerlings, enough for commercial farming in the province and some neighboring localities.

The report of the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) shows that, in August, 2022, Vietnam's pangasius exports reached over US$187 million, up 114% over the same period last year. Accumulated in the first 8 months of this year, pangasius exports recorded nearly 1.8 billion USD, up 81% over the same period last year.

Accordingly, except for the Russian market, where pangasius exports decreased by 12% due to the war disrupting exports in March and April, other markets recorded very high growth. In which, pangasius turnover to China increased more than 2 times over the same period, reaching nearly 500 million USD; exports to the US reached 428 million USD, up 90%…

Compiled by Thuy Linh