It is recorded that the interminable price decreases have brought the huge loss of VND300bil to the region’s farmers. Nguyen Thien Phap, the owner of a tra pond in Phu Tan district in the southern province of An Giang informed that he has just sold 100 tonnes of fish to Cadonimex at VND13,900/kg. Suffering the loss of VND150mil, but Phap thought he was lucky to sell the fish.
Farmers complain that the input material prices skyrocket, output product prices plunge and this made them flocking to seafood processing companies these days to offer to sell fish, but only a few of them can sell fish. Meanwhile, the tra fish price is on the decrease.Earlier this month the rate of tra fish for the processors was VND14,500/kg, but now they buy at VND14,000/kg, and sometimes, they pay VND13,800/kg only.
It is found that the price of fish food has increased four times since the beginning of the year. Bui Huu Tri, Chairman of the Can Tho Seafood Association, told that the food price has risen by over 40 percent, making the production cost increase to VND16,000 for every kilogramme of fish. As the sale price has been on constant decline the farmers are suffering the loss of VND2,000/kg.
The situation has become so tough for tra fish farmers that even banks have stopped lending. Very few farmers can access bank loans at this moment. If banks agree to provide loans, they would require a very high interest rate, 1.8 percent per month, informed a farmer.
