AN GIANG — Processing fat from catfish, which otherwise pollute Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta, Ho Xuan Thien, an engineer with the Agifish An Giang, a seafood processing company, has successfully produced a bio-fuel – a kind of clean diesel - for only VND6,500 per litre for automobiles.
The Cuu Long (
While vegetable oil has been processed as bio-fuel for a long time around the world, Thien was motivated by his son, a doctoral student at
However, the process was much more complicated than Thien initially expected. It took many experiments to fix technical parameters, condition and catalysts for each physical and chemical reaction at each refining stage to finish the process.
Thien was ably supported by his team consisting of Vu Tran Tan Quoc, a mechanical engineer, Vo Thi Dao Chi, an agricultural expert from An Giang University, and Nguyen Quynh Nhu, a fresh graduate engineer.
The team was fully funded by Thien and worked at the laboratory of the An Giang University.
While the first sample found favour with the Viet Nam National Institute of Standards and Technology, the second sample, with the colour of cooking oil and nil exhaust, received the approval of the institute.
"Bio-fuels can be used as a substitute for petroleum, which is scarce and pollutes the environment. They are also environmental-friendly and can be produced at low cost. The bio-fuel produced from fish fat will decrease pollution and add more value for catfish," said Vo Tong Xuan, head of the An Giang University.
Thien now has sixty regular customers with a top single order for 2000 litres per month. In addition to bio-fuel, catfish fat can also be used to produce glycerine (used popularly in dyeing, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics) and fertilisers.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Nearly US$1.7 billion is the projected gap in 2029 between the baseline scenario and a scenario in which Vietnam’s seafood exports grow by 10% annually, according to calculations by VASEP to be presented at Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026. This gap raises a key question for the entire industry: Which markets, products and supply chain improvements will generate the additional growth?
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Although Germany’s tuna imports have declined, Vietnam’s tuna exports to the market continue to show positive signs. Notably, export value recovered strongly in Q3/2026, and German import data also show Vietnamese products strengthening their position amid competition among suppliers.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Seafood exports are holding double-digit growth, but the opportunities are not spread evenly across product groups and markets. As businesses draw up their plans for 2027, Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS2026) offers a chance to look ahead together: what to sell, where to sell it, and how to prepare for growth in the coming years.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) With less than two weeks to go, the Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS 2026) will officially take place in Can Tho. Under the theme “Seafood Market Outlook 2027–2029 – Opportunities and Potential for Double-Digit Export Growth,” the Summit is organized by VASEP at a time when seafood businesses are facing rapid market shifts, changing buyer demand, trade policy changes and growing competitive pressure all at once.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On October 28, 2026, the China Fisheries & Seafood Expo opened in Qingdao, China. The expo takes place over three days from October 28 to 30, 2026. This is a prestigious specialized seafood exhibition organized annually by Sea Fare Exposition Inc.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first nine months of 2026, Vietnam’s tilapia exports to the CPTPP bloc reached $7 million, marking a 51% year-on-year increase. The bloc rstands as the fourth-largest market for Vietnamese tilapia, trailing Brazil, the US, and Saudi Arabia.
(vasep.com.vn) VASEP has officially announced the program for Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS 2026), featuring five in-depth sessions covering industry outlooks, trade barriers, buyer demand, the domestic market, and solutions to improve productivity and reduce costs across the seafood value chain.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached US$3.7 billion in the first nine months of 2026, up 11% year on year. Although growth has been supported by China and several markets within the CPTPP, momentum is slowing as exports to the United States and the European Union decline. Tariff pressures, international competition, and raw material challenges are creating significant hurdles for exporters in the final months of the year.
(vasep.com.vn) Markets are changing faster, buyer requirements are becoming more demanding, and trade barriers are growing increasingly complex. In this environment, seafood businesses need more than an understanding of current market conditions. They need a longer-term perspective to answer a critical question: Where will growth opportunities come from in 2027–2029, and what should businesses do now to prepare? This is one of the key reasons why VASEP is organizing Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first eight months of 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports to the Middle East reached US$113 million, up 7% year on year from the same period in 2025. Growth has become more pronounced in recent months. In August alone, exports to the region totaled US$20 million, an increase of 24%. This indicates that demand for Vietnamese pangasius in the Middle East is gradually recovering after a slowdown in March, although the pace of recovery varies across markets.
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