Good profit
In Hai Duong, tilapia is considered the main aquatic species with a farming area of over 3,700 hectares, accounting for nearly 30% of the province's aquatic area. The average tilapia output is nearly 70,000 tons/year, accounting for about 20% of the national tilapia output. However, the infrastructure for processing tilapia products is underdeveloped, and the chain linkage in production is lacking. Most tilapia is consumed fresh in the province or some neighboring provinces and cities such as Hanoi , Hai Phong, Quang Ninh... with prices ranging from 20,000 - 30,000 VND/kg, lower than other aquatic products.
In order to support and motivate tilapia farming to develop effectively and sustainably, and increase its value in the market, Xuyen Viet Aquatic Products Production and Trading Cooperative in Hong Hung Commune (Gia Loc) is implementing the project "Processing some value-added products from tilapia using biotechnology in Hai Duong ".
The unit has built a 500 m2 factory, invested in machinery and fish processing equipment. 12 technicians of the cooperative were trained to receive fish cake production technology.
Tilapia is pre-processed, treated for mud and fishy smell, mixed with spices in appropriate proportions, ground and pounded to create semi-finished products. After the incubation period, the patties are cooked by steaming or frying in oil. The products are packaged and vacuum-sealed; there are 2 types: patties and balls. Currently, the cooperative is producing 5 tons of raw materials/day, with a batch taking 10-12 hours.
The cooperative representative said that during the pilot period from August 5, 2023 to February 3, 2024, the unit produced nearly 255 tons of fish cakes, exceeding the plan by nearly 55 tons. The cooperative used over 622 tons of tilapia as input material. After deducting expenses, the unit earned nearly 7 billion VND in profit.
Farmers peace of mind
In addition to proactively sourcing raw materials, Xuyen Viet Aquatic Production and Trading Cooperative also purchases raw materials from a number of units and individuals raising tilapia in Gia Loc district. Mr. Pham Duc Thong, Director of Kenh Trieu Village Aquatic Production Cooperative (Thong Kenh Commune) said that the unit has 17 hectares of tilapia farming combined with a number of other types, supplying the market with 500 - 600 tons of fish each year. Previously, there were times when fish consumption was difficult, there were many farmers while the consumption market did not increase. "Around June and July 2023, when the weather was hot, farmers were afraid that the fish would die, so they harvested early, leading to supply exceeding demand. Many households could not sell, but members of Kenh Trieu Village Aquatic Production and Trading Cooperative were still assured because Xuyen Viet Aquatic Production and Trading Cooperative purchased. In 2023, we supplied this unit with over 100 tons of tilapia," said Mr. Thong.
Sharing the same view with Mr. Thong, Mr. Nguyen Van Thuc in Hong Hung commune sees the biggest benefit of cooperating with the Xuyen Viet Aquatic Production and Trading Cooperative as being assured of output. “In 2023, my family will supply this unit with 115 tons of tilapia. The price is not much different from the market but we are assured of output,” Mr. Thuc shared.
By-products from tilapia processing are also used by the Xuyen Viet Seafood Production and Trading Cooperative as food for this type of fish.
In the coming time, the cooperative strives to expand its production scale to 20 tons of raw materials/day. This will open up a new direction for farmers as well as create a solid raw material area for the cooperative.
THANH HASource
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