(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The area for Pangasius farming in Dong Thap currently exceeds 1,332 hectares, with over 180 hectares harvested, yielding 81,733 tons of fish. The Pangasius industry has 87% of its production area in line with the planning regulations; most production areas apply technical procedures and standards to meet the market requirements of importing countries.
The area with traceability codes for ponds reaches 99%, and the number of farms receiving pond identification codes is 378 out of 1,630 hectares. The farms certified to produce safe food or committed to producing safe food according to regulations make up 91.5% of the target, which is 100%.
The area for commercial Pangasius farming in Dong Thap follows Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) standards and has been certified across 242.4 hectares with 38 farms. The high-quality fingerlings for commercial farming have reached 500 million fish. The farming areas are equipped with wastewater and sludge treatment systems as required, covering 628.77 hectares out of 1,630 hectares.
Pangasius processing in Dong Thap leads the region, significantly influencing the coordination, development of raw material regions, branding, and exports at the regional level.
Currently, Dong Thap has 28 seafood processing enterprises, primarily producing various types of fish fillets (rose-shaped fillets, skewered fillets, etc.), fish chunks, whole fish without heads, and butterfly-cut whole fish, with a total designed capacity of over 700,000 tons per year. Additionally, there are 11 enterprises involved in the Pangasius production chain, including one processing fish oil (17,700 tons of finished product/year), one producing collagen and gelatin from Pangasius skin (1,800 tons of finished product/year), and nine enterprises producing fish meal and fish oil (80,000 tons of finished product/year), contributing to the economic efficiency of the industry.
In terms of Pangasius production technology, 100% of the enterprises in the industry have invested in equipment with an average or above-average level of technology. Most of the Pangasius processing enterprises for export apply international quality management systems and food safety standards such as HACCP, BRC, GlobalGAP, IFS, ASC (Aquaculture Stewardship Council), and BAP (Best Aquaculture Practice) certifications, depending on the requirements of each market. As for exports, there are 28 seafood processing and exporting enterprises, currently exporting to major markets including China, the United States, and the EU.
Dong Thap Province aims to develop the Pangasius industry sustainably, targeting 2,450 hectares for Pangasius farming by 2025, with a production volume of 555,000 tons, equivalent to a production value of over 9,000 billion VND.