April 1, 2004

Vietnam Fish Prices Up As A Result Of Bird Flu

Wholesale export prices of tra and basa catfish from the Mekong delta provinces of An Giang and Can Tho in Vietnam has increased to US$3.70 per kilogram in late March, a 40 percent rise over the same period last year.

The surge was attributed to many countries' increasing demand resulting from the fear of bird flu outbreaks.

Farmers in the Mekong delta have been restoring their caged fish farms. An Giang province has developed 4,000 basa catfish cages, Dong Thap province, 2,400 cages, and Vinh Long, around 160 cages.

In Can Tho province, farmers have initiated the intensive breeding of tra catfish in ponds and at alluvial grounds of the Hau River, which cover a total of 500 ha.