August 7, 2018
Vietnam's tra fish farmers will have to identify ponds to ensure traceability
The Mekong Delta province of Đồng Tháp has issued identification numbers to ponds that breed tra fish, a variety of catfish, under a government decree on aquaculture management that went into effect last July.
The ponds owned by 349 tra fish breeders in the province account for a 1,500-ha area that breeds tra fish, The Vietnam News reported.
The identification numbers are compulsory for tra fish farmers as they ensure traceability of the fish used for processing and export.
To ensure traceability, individual breeders and commercial tra fish enterprises are required to store information about the fish for at least 24 months from the date of harvest or sale to processing companies.
According to the Đồng Tháp Fisheries Sub-department, the new regulations will make it possible for tra fish breeders to save time and money as they do not have to go to the sub-department to register every new batch of fish.
Official statistics reveal that due to these certifications, tra fish from the province is now exported to about 100 foreign markets, including the United States and European Union.
The province of Đồng Tháp has 24 seafood processing and export companies with a total production capacity of more than 429,000 tonnes of seafood a year. Most of the facilities have been granted food safety certificates such as the HACCP and ISO.
Source: www.fis.com
