Conference seeks solutions to boost tra fish chain after social distancing

The information was mentioned at a virtual conference held on September 25 between the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and Mekong Delta provinces to discuss measures to promote the tra fish production chain after social distancing.

According to the General Department of Fisheries, the tra fish sector has faced many difficulties due to the COVID-19 pandemic since July this year. The social distancing in the Mekong Delta region has also created huge impact on the breeding, harvesting, processing and exporting of tra fish.

The breeding area of tra fish during the two months of social distancing in July and August decreased by 50-55% compared to the previous months while the harvested tra fish output reached over 81% of the same period in 2020.

Due to the implementation of social distancing, processing factories had to reduce capacity and the purchase of input materials. As of early September, 52 out of 106 tra fish processing factories in five provinces of An Giang, Dong Thap, Can Tho, Hau Giang and Vinh Long had to suspend operation, accounting for 49% of the total factories.

Delegates at the conference proposed the soon reopening of wholesale markets which are in quarantine and speed up the vaccination for workers participating in aquaculture chains.

In addition, bottlenecks in circulation and transportation of aquatic products and inputs for production must be quickly removed. They also suggested solutions to reduce the prices of aqua feed to support farmers amid current difficulties.

Secretary of the Dong Thap Provincial Party Committee Le Quoc Phong said that it is essential to ensure safety against the pandemic during production, maintain the operation of current enterprises, and create more favourable conditions for other enterprises to resume operation.

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan suggested that localities and enterprises should calmly solve the problems caused by the pandemic and consider this as an opportunity to boost regional linkage in production activities.

He added that the ministry will accompany enterprises while coordinating relevant activities to help the tra fish sector recover soon.