Vietnam is estimated to have spent US$662 million importing animal feed and materials for local production in the first seven months of 2007, up 76 per cent over the corresponding period last year, the General Statistics Office said.
In July, the country imported US$115 million worth of animal feed, up from US$114 million from June.
Since the beginning of this year, local animal feed producers have raised product’s price eight times due to increasing price of imported animal feed, afflicting husbandry breeders.
The price of animal feed has increased by VND15,000-20,000 to surpass VND200,000 per 25kilo bag on average. Meanwhile, price of aquatic animal feed is now staying at high level at VND150,000-180,000 per bag even though price of tra and basa catfish dropped to VND13,300 a kilo, from VND16,000 a kilo several months ago.
According to the Animal Husbandry Department, local sources of materials can satisfy 70 per cent of the demand. Vietnamese animal feed price is always 15 per cent-20 per cent higher than that in regional countries due to high production costs.
Hoang Kim Giao, deputy director of the department blames high transport cost for the high production cost, suggesting that to keep the price Vietnam needs to invest more in port, transport and shortage facilities while boosting up producing products locally.
Vietnam now has 241 animal feed producers, of which 35 per cent receive foreign investment which occupy 50 per cent of the country’s total output.
Last year, Vietnam spent US$800 million importing animal feed and animal feed material. (GSO Jul Edition, Vietnam Panorama)
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