June 28, 2010
Vietnam's catfish processors must cooperate to boost quality
Links between Vietnam's producers and businesses should be strengthened to ensure a sufficient supply of raw materials and quality of tra and basa catfish, according to Ngo Phuoc Hau, deputy chairman of the Vietnam Seafood Exporters and Producers Association (Vasep).
The factories should work with breeders who have large farms and sufficient capital in an aim to share risks. The linkages would assist farmers since bank loans still have high interest rates and are difficult to access.
Hau said Vietnamese companies must develop integrated production chains to ensure food safety from farm to table. More foreign businesses are becoming involved as well. A leading US frozen seafood importer and distributor has begun working with Proconco, a French processing factory in Vietnam, to implement a programme to support Vietnamese farmers to establish a closed farming process, from fish feeding, farming, processing to consumption. Proconco will invest in studies to develop fish feed, farming techniques and processing methods to satisfy US requirements.
Seafood companies are also investing in fish farming areas. Early last year, Binca Seafoods Vietnam began working with Ntaco Corporation to build a 35-ha fish farming area which meets the Global GAP standard.
Binca Seafoods Vietnam invested US$2 million to help An Giang households raise ecologically – friendly tra catfish with an output of 1,200 tonnes per year. It also worked with Sinbaco Co in Ca Mau to raise prawns under the same method, with an output of 2,000 tonnes each year.
Hau said high safety and hygiene standards and good environmental management would help improve the image of Vietnamese tra and basa catfish.