Tra fish, a type of catfish from Vietnam, is unexpectedly being bought a lot by Iraq in the Middle East.

According to Vietnam Customs, pangasius exports to Iraq have continuously recorded growth in the first 9 months of this year. Pangasius exports to this country have even surpassed Iran - a country considered a gateway for trade between Vietnam and the Middle East.

According to Vietnam Customs, pangasius exports to Iraq have continuously recorded growth in the first 9 months of this year. Pangasius exports to this country have even surpassed Iran - a country considered a gateway for trade between Vietnam and the Middle East.

Vietnam's pangasius export turnover to Iraq in September 2024 reached the highest level in the past 3 years, since 2022, with a value of nearly 1.8 million USD, an increase of 155% over the same period last year. The value of pangasius exports to Iraq in Q3/2024 alone was 30% higher than the cumulative pangasius exports in the whole year of 2022 to this market. In Q3/2024, the export of Vietnamese pangasius products to this Middle Eastern country reached nearly 5 million USD, an increase of 111% over Q3/2023; Cumulative pangasius exports in the first 9 months of 2024 continuously recorded positive growth of 2-3 digits, reaching 11 million USD, an increase of 127% over the same period last year, and nearly 1.5 times higher than the total value of pangasius exports to Iraq in the whole year of 2023.

Unlike most of Vietnam's pangasius import markets, Iraq mainly consumes dried fish products and other frozen products (whole, cut into pieces, etc.). Exports of this product in the first 3 quarters of this year to Iraq reached 8 million USD, an increase of 245% over the same period last year, accounting for 73% of the proportion, mainly due to the increase in Q3/2024.

Exports of frozen pangasius fillets to Iraq in the first 9 months of this year reached nearly 3 million USD, up 19% over the same period in 2023, accounting for 27% of the total export of pangasius products to this country.

Iraq is a large market and a traditional trading partner of Vietnam. Although it is one of the world's largest oil exporting countries, this country has a very "modest" aquaculture industry.

The main freshwater fish species are various species of the genus Barbus and carp, caught from Iraqi national waters and from the Persian Gulf by Iraq's small inland fleet, most of the catfish are caught in lakes, rivers and streams, and fish farms (mainly supplying various carps).

Iraq has no industrial fish processing industry and most of its fish is consumed fresh in the domestic market. Fishing contributes only a small part to the Middle Eastern country's GDP.

Despite the geographical distance and the tensions of the conflicts taking place day and night in Iraq, this country still increases its imports of pangasius products from Vietnam.

Cuu Long An Giang Seafood Import-Export Joint Stock Company is the enterprise exporting the most pangasius to Iraq in the first 9 months of this year, accounting for 60% of the proportion.

Source: https://danviet.vn/ca-tra-loai-ca-da-tron-cua-viet-nam-ngo-dau-dang-duoc-nuoc-iraq-o-trung-dong-mua-nhieu-20241101231525902.htm