Vietnam Gets Plentiful Orders for Catfish for First Quarter
Vietnamese tra and basa catfish processors have received a series of orders from the EU, Japan and the US with time of delivery set for the first quarter of 2006.
The increasing export demands pulled up the domestic prices of tra and basa catfish to VND12,500-13,000 per kilo.
In addition, the output of tra catfish in Mekong delta provinces of An Giang, Dong Thap, Vinh Long and Can Tho has reduced by 20-30 per cent because many farmers stopped breeding or changed to other varieties of fish when catfish prices sank in mid 2005.
It is forecasted that processors will face a shortage of catfish in the first quarter this year.
According to the latest government statistics, Vietnam gained as many as USUS$190 million from seafood exports in the first month of this year, up 32 per cent over the same period last year.
The Fisheries Ministry predicts the demand for Vietnam's seafood in the Japanese and US markets will increase by 10-15 per cent in the coming time.
Vietnam Agriculture
Vietnamese
