Price of tra catfish has dropped in the past two weeks in Mekong Delta region after reaching record for a long time, showing the uncertainty in catfish breeding industry.
Presently, a kilo of high grade tra catfish is offered at only VND11,200-11,500, down from VND15,000 at height several months ago. Meanwhile, breeding cost increased up by 20 per cent-30 per cent, warning local farmers of heavy losses.
Local catfish processing factories said they can not increase both buying and price of catfish material, even though the catfish is at harvesting season, because they are dealing with difficulties in exporting the products.
According to the Fisheries Ministry, export price of processed tra catfish has averaged at US$3.4-4.0 a kilo since 2004. To turn into a kilo of catfish, local factories need only VND35,000 or US$2.18.
Nguyen Van Thanh, chairman of An Giang’s Fisheries Service blamed the price drop of catfish material for loose cooperation between farmers and processors.
“When catfish material priced up to VND15,000 a kilo due to thin supply, local farmers stored fish to wait for new highs. But when the price falls, they are flocking to sell catfish,” Thanh said.
“Processors, meanwhile, are usually suspected of jointing hands to pull the material price down when the price is at low level,” he added, stressing that only when the farmers and processors set up tight cooperation are their sakes ensured.
Mekong Delta region is now dedicating nearly 5,000 hectares of water surface to tra breeding. Its 100 seafood processing factories have total capacity of nearly 700,000 tons a year.
The region plans to enlarge the tra and basa catfish breeding area to 10,200 ha with 1,900 fish cages by 2010. The output of tra and basa catfish will be over 860,000 tons by 2010, bringing in VND12.112 trillion (US$757 million). (People)
Vietnamese
