Continuing concerns

Speaking at the conference "Finding solutions for developing pangasius breeding in response to climate change and international trade barriers," Mr. Tran Cong Khoi, Head of the Breeding and aquatic feed department of the Directorate of fisheries, emphasized that Vietnam had great potential and advantages for developing aquaculture, including pangasius farming.

In the first nine months of this year, pangasius exports reached US$1.5 billion, a 9% increase compared to the same period in 2023. However, export to key markets such as China and Hong Kong (China) dropped by 2%, while exports to the US increased by 23%, the EU decreased by 1%, and Brazil increased by 28%.

Despite these promising prospects, the pangasius industry is still facing many difficulties and challenges.

In 2023 and the first nine months of 2024, the industry continued to struggle with rising fuel costs, increased prices of supplies and feed, and declining consumer demand in export markets, which led to lower raw pangasius prices and difficulties for breeding and commercial production facilities.

Additionally, the European Commission (EC) continues to issue warnings regarding the use of HCG in pangasius breeding in Vietnam, and many countries have increasingly strict standards for imported seafood products.

Processing pangasius fillets for export at the factory of the International development & investment corporation (Sao Mai Group). Photo: VNA

Improving breeding stock quality

With the goal of achieving US$2 billion in export revenue and 1.75 million tons of pangasius production in 2024, the industry will need to focus on mobilizing all resources and implementing comprehensive solutions.

According to Luan, to meet export market standards, the initial step is to ensure disease-free breeding stock of high quality.

Many experts agree that the latest technologies must be applied in the pangasius industry, especially in breeding high-quality stock, which is a key factor for sustainable development.

Regarding current breeding stock, Mr. Duong Nghia Quoc, Chairman of the Vietnam Pangasius Association, stated that the Mekong Delta currently has over 240,000 parent pangasius fish ready for breeding. This includes 184,000 fish selected from commercial farms, 40,000 from high-quality breeding stock transferred by the Research Institute for Aquaculture No. 2 as part of the 2016-2020 breeding program, and 20,000 fish involved in their first reproduction.

From the perspective of a breeding company, Mr. Vo Minh Khoi, Executive Director of Vietnam Australia Pangasius Corporation, emphasized that the Vietnamese pangasius industry was still in the early stages of adaptation to increasing challenges related to environmental capacity, disease, and climate change.

“The continuous application of new scientific and technological achievements is an opportunity to improve the quantity and quality of pangasius breeding stock, and thus the entire industry. The parent stock selected from Vietnam Australia’s breeding facilities is ready for reproduction, ensuring a stable supply of breeding stock for annual commercial production,” said Khoi.

To ensure the production of disease-free pangasius from farming to export, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Phung Duc Tien, urged local authorities to closely monitor pangasius breeding facilities. Only facilities that meet the required standards should be certified, and those that do not should not be granted licenses and must face strict penalties.