The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) has approved a plan on development of production and sales of tra catfish in the Mekong Delta until 2010, with further orientations towards 2020. It is told that the breeding of tra fish will be developed in favourable water areas such as the Tien and Hau rivers. The authority informed that water and land areas will be also zoned off for the production of fries and for fish processing factories in Can Tho city and An Giang, Dong Thap, Vinh Long, Hau Giang, Soc Trang, Tien Giang, Ben Tre and Tra Vinh provinces.
The main purpose of the plan is to increase the tra catfish farming acreage in the Mekong Delta to 8,600 ha by 2010, and 13,000 ha by 2020 for an annual output of 1.25 million tonnes and 1.85 million tonnes, respectively. The new plan is expected to increase the region’s exports of tra catfish by an average of 5.9 percent per year, fetching about 1.5 billion USD by 2010 and 2.3 billion USD by 2020.
According to the MARD, tra and basa catfish have become Vietnam ’s key seafood export staples, with growth rates of 77 percent in volume and 52 percent in value compared to the same period last year. It is expressed that the export turnover exceeded 1 billion USD for the first nine months of 2008. Tra catfish of Vietnam is currently exported to 107 countries and territories. MARD Deputy Minister Luong Le Phuong said that the country is actively diversifying its seafood markets, considering it an important measure to ensure a firm foothold for Vietnamese tra catfish in the global market.
