Vietnam's fish farmers face increasing number of oversized tra fish

Vietnam's fish farmers in Cuu Long River Delta report of increasing number of oversized tra fish, which experts fear would create a shortage of tra fish in 3 - 4 months, as farmers might quit the business.

In Tien Giang province, the volume of oversized fish was previously estimated at 3,000 tonnes, now it soared to 10,000 tonnes.

Farmers have reduced the amount of food they give their fish as they fear the fish are growing too quickly, but the volume of oversized fish has been increasing rapidly notwithstanding the special diet.

Industry participants said that as the volume of oversized fish is bigger than predicted, the sum of VND1 trillion the government decided to use to rescue tra fish proves to be too small.

Hong Giang of Agifish said that Agifish has borrowed VND40 billion from banks, which is just enough to meet 40 percent of its demand and enough to buy fish from farmers for one week. Hong said they need some VND60 billion more.

Farmers in Dong Thap and An Giang provinces said that they will give up farming right after they can sell all their oversized fish.

To date, Vietnam's fish farming and fish processing industry has been focusing on export.

The domestic market only consumes 25-30 percent of total farmed fish output