(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The Mekong Delta (Mekong Delta) has long been known for industries relying on brackish water resources such as shrimp, crab, salt, and other seafood, which generate considerable income for the locality. The region’s seafood export turnover currently accounts for about 60% of the country’s total seafood export value, with brackish water shrimp and pangasius (freshwater fish) standing out as two key products that bring high economic value and efficiency.
Alongside the development of brackish water industries, the Mekong Delta continues to maintain and develop traditional freshwater-based sectors such as rice cultivation, fruit farming, freshwater fish farming (notably pangasius and basa fish), and vegetable cultivation.
In particular, pangasius and basa fish farming are among the region’s core freshwater aquaculture sectors, concentrated in provinces such as An Giang, Dong Thap, Can Tho, and Vinh Long. The pangasius farming area currently spans about 5,500 to 6,000 hectares, with production reaching 1.6 million tons in 2022. Pangasius from the Mekong Delta has gained a global reputation, contributing to Vietnam becoming the world’s largest exporter of pangasius. In 2022, pangasius export turnover reached a record $2.4 billion, a 51% increase compared to 2021.
Pangasius (freshwater fish) and shrimp (brackish water) can be regarded as the “dual swords” of the Mekong Delta’s seafood sector. In 2022, the combined export turnover of these two sectors reached nearly $6.7 billion, surpassing many other agricultural products. Thanks to pangasius, many businesses and farmers in An Giang and Dong Thap provinces have earned substantial profits. Compared to rice farming, pangasius farming yields many times higher economic value per unit area, although it also requires higher investment costs. However, the pangasius sector is vulnerable to market fluctuations and unstable prices.
Therefore, the region’s development strategy aims to diversify farmed species, in addition to pangasius, including giant freshwater prawn, tilapia, snakehead fish, and others, to reduce risks and increase economic efficiency in aquaculture.