As per tra fish exporters setting up a Vietnam Tra Fish Association may help the industry in long run. A lobbying board convened in Long Xuyen City to discuss the preparation for the establishment of the association, slated for early 2010. The idea of setting up a tra fish association has been put forward after tra exporters believed they needed support to boost exports of tra fish which was once the key export item of the nation.
Tra fish was once king of Vietnam’s seafood products. It is estimated that there are 6,000 fish farmers in Vietnam, mostly in 10 Mekong Delta provinces. Originally tra fish was only consumed domestically, but now it is reaches 130 countries and territories. The rapid export growth has led to a jump in cultivating areas and number of processing workshops. It is informed that the farming output increased from 22,550 tonnes in 1997 to 1.2 million tonnes in 2008. Tra fish brings export revenue of 1.453 billion dollars, accounting for 32.2 percent of the total seafood export turnover and makes up two percent of the GDP of the whole country.
It is told that n a plan on tra fish production and consumption development by 2020, the Prime Minister still emphasizes that tra fish will remain a main export item for Vietnam. While agreeing to the establishment of the tra fish association, the general director of Cafatex Company, Nguyen Van Kich still has doubts about its feasibility.
