Saudi Arabia eyes Myanmar catfish sector

Saudi Arabian fisheries purchasers, who visited Myanmar last week, has expressed a preference for yellowtail catfish over Rohu.

The Myanmar Fish Farmers Association (MFFA) associate secretary U Win Kyaing says the buyers were willing to supply processing technology, should sufficient stocks become available.

Four Saudi Arabians who came to Myanmar on November 23 made the comments to U Win Kyaing during a visit to purchase Rohu, yellowtail catfish and tilapia in Yangon. During their short visit the buying team also visited the chairman of Myanmar Fish Farmers Association, a feed factory, a cold storage facility and several fish farms.

Rohu is the most popular farmed fish breed in Myanmar and accounts for about 80 percent of all farmed fish. Myanmar is also the largest exporter of this species, according to the Department of Fisheries.

According to Kyaing, the buyers noted that Arabs prefer the yellowtail catfish over Rohu, which is only eaten by those who cannot afford catfish, adding that a continued focus on Rohu farming could be a hindrance to the long-term development of the industry.

According to the figures from the Department of Fisheries, from April to November 22, freshwater fisheries exports had earned about US$62 million.