Cages in the Mekong River that used to hold pangasius, which are now being moved to ponds on land will be stocked tilapia. This would push Vietnam to emerge as tilapia hotspot. It is reported that at the time of recession, tilapia production in 2009 topped three million metric tons, and should grow again in 2010, as diners return to restaurants and boost slowing sales in that sector.
Kevin Fitzsimmons, a tilapia researcher and industry consultant, told IntraFish at the World Aquaculture Society (WAS) meeting last week in San Diego, California, that Vietnam hit over three million metric tons in 2009, and it will be at 3.1 million metric tons in 2010.
He also said that more and more fish out of their cages or ponds or raceways; just across the board they’re getting more efficient. There is another trend to use tilapia as part of polyculture farming systems, especially shrimp farms, which he says all around the world are starting to add tilapia to their operations.
Fitzsimmons informed that a whole lot of the pangasius farms are moving from cages in the Mekong to ponds, and they’re going back and stocking all these cages with tilapia, so Vietnam is very quickly coming up as a major tilapia player. Even the consumption of tilapia in Vietnam also increases and for sure they’re going to become major players in the export trade, as well. Therefore, the future of tilapia in Vietnam is bright.
