Pangasius farming needs a specific mechanism for sustainable development.

CAN THO - In 2025, pangasius will continue to affirm its role as a strategic commodity, however, a specific mechanism is needed to help this farmed aquatic species overcome difficulties in the coming period.

On December 29th in Can Tho City, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment Phung Duc Tien chaired a conference to summarize the pangasius industry's performance in 2025 and outline key tasks for 2026.

The year 2025 was considered challenging for agriculture and the environment in general, and fisheries in particular, due to the impact of natural disasters and global economic fluctuations. However, the pangasius industry achieved impressive figures, with production reaching 1.74 million tons, exceeding the plan by 6%, and export revenue projected at $2.1 billion, a 5% increase compared to the target. This result significantly contributed to the agricultural sector's record export of over $70 billion last year.

The conference summarizing the pangasius industry's performance in 2025 and outlining key tasks for 2026 was held in Can Tho City. Photo: Kim Anh.

Despite achieving good growth figures, Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien pointed out bottlenecks in policy mechanisms that are hindering the development of the pangasius industry.

"We have national programs and projects that could be considered specifically for pangasius – a key target that needs more concrete and direct policy mechanisms," Deputy Minister Tien emphasized.

The issue of fingerlings needs to be prioritized, especially since the price of pangasius fingerlings has recently reached an all-time high. In 2025, the pangasius industry is expected to see a sharp decline in both farming area and fingerling production facilities, leading to a continuous and dramatic increase in fingerling prices from the end of July until now, reaching 80,000 - 85,000 VND/kg.

Given the recent surge in the price of catfish fingerlings, if the price of marketable fish falls, farmers will face the risk of losses.

The Vietnam Pangasius Association (VINAPA) also emphasized that the quality of fingerlings is a crucial link in the pangasius industry chain in the Mekong Delta. However, currently, the quality of fingerlings is very poor, resulting in low survival rates. Furthermore, erratic weather makes fish susceptible to disease, unlike in previous seasonal cycles. This highlights the urgent need for comprehensive upgrades, especially as import markets require standardization across all stages of the pangasius value chain.

Since the end of July, the price of pangasius fingerlings has surged dramatically, reaching 80,000 - 85,000 VND/kg for the first time in history. Photo: Kim Anh.

To help the pangasius industry overcome difficulties, VINAPA believes that controlling product quality and reducing production costs are two important issues that need to be addressed. VINAPA recommends that the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment and related units coordinate with the provincial and city departments of agriculture and environment to implement and provide sufficient resources to produce pangasius fingerlings that meet standards to serve the pangasius supply chain in the Mekong Delta region.

The national program for aquaculture development until 2030 aims for a pangasius production of 2 million tons and export revenue of 3 billion USD. This requires the fisheries sector to be 100% self-sufficient in pangasius broodstock by 2030 to meet production needs.

Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien emphasized the need to end the dependence on smuggled broodstock of unknown origin. The goal is that by 2030, Vietnam must be 100% self-sufficient in high-quality, uniformly sourced pangasius broodstock to optimize the processing chain.

Regarding production costs, feed costs currently account for 65-70% of the total cost. Deputy Minister Tien requested technological solutions to control this cost, avoiding the risk of losses for farmers when commercial fish prices fluctuate.

Deputy Minister Phung Duc Tien suggested that there is a need for more specific and direct policy mechanisms for pangasius farming. Photo: Kim Anh.

According to Deputy Minister Tien, financial resources for science and technology are currently abundant. However, paradoxically, the ability of units to absorb these resources remains weak. He suggested the need for a "combined force" of coordination between research institutes, businesses, and management agencies. Instead of working individually, all parties must work together to solve the major problem of breeding and cultivation processes.

"The Ministry encourages businesses to take the lead in utilizing by-products to create added value, shifting from exporting raw materials to deep processing in line with international trends," Deputy Minister Tien said.

To meet the stringent standards of the "global dining table," the fisheries sector needs to recognize digital transformation as an inseparable task. This includes focusing on building a national data system on aquaculture, updating software, and ensuring cybersecurity to comprehensively manage the supply chain. Ensuring transparent traceability from broodstock to the final product will help Vietnamese seafood products confidently integrate more deeply into the global market.

Source: https://nongnghiepmoitruong.vn/ca-tra-can-co-che-rieng-de-phat-trien-ben-vung-d791875.html