Mekong Delta to form sustainable Tra fish supply chains

With the EU – Vietnam Free Trade Agreement taking effect in 2 years, Vietnamese Tra fish need a sustainable supply chain to increase competitiveness.

Võ Văn Tiền in the southern city of Cần Thơ has been raising tra fish for 15 years, but he has never faced as many difficulties due to low prices as today. With a current price of 1 USD per kilo, he loses about 10 US cents per kilo sold. In addition, due the strict requirements, he can’t raise more than 50 fish at his farm. A debt of over 100,000 USD and increased competitive pressures due to Vietnam’s further international integration are adding to the stress.

"We’ll face more difficulties when the EU - Vietnam Free Trade Agreement comes into force. Individual farmers won’t be able to sell their fish. I’m really worried and I don’t know how I will be able to repay my debt." - Vo Van Tien, Pangasius Farmer, O Mon District, Can Tho City.

Meanwhile a fish farm in the southern province of Hau Giang is now receiving support from an EU- funded SUPA project. This project helps to build a sustainable supply chain following strict standards on environmental issues. Each pond in the farm can raise up to 100 fish per square metre, double the number in individual farms.

"Advanced and sustainable technology has helped to reduce the impact on the environment, increased the survival rate of the fish, reduced the amount of food wasted, cut diseases among fish and slashed labour costs." - Chau Thi My Dung, Fish Farm Manager, Dai Thanh Ward, Phung Hiep Province.

The EU-funded project also supports enterprises in reducing processing costs and finding new markets. For example, it has shared with his company ways to cut electricity and water use.

"Our company has saved 10% of electricity and 15% of water compared with the previous period." - Huynh Duc Trung, Project Manager, Vinh Hoan JSC, Dong Thap Province.

"This project helps accelerate information dissemination and boost marketing. It also helps fish farmers and businesses produce fish that meet sustainable production requirements and reduce pollution." - Le Xuan Thinh, SUPA Project Manager.

In the future, the export of Tra fish will become more difficult because the product has to compete with fish from China, Indonesia and the Philippines. Negative information about Vietnamese Tra fish in some markets is another problem that will need to be solved.