Prospects for commercial pangasius farming

Currently, many households in the outskirts of Ca Mau City are implementing a fairly effective pangasius farming model, providing a stable source of income. Unlike the industrial scale in other provinces in the region, the pangasius farming model here is quite simple, requires little cost, and is considered a promising direction for farmers.

Báo Cà Mau•31/03/2025

In Tan Xuyen ward, Ca Mau city, there are more than 150 households implementing the catfish farming model, mostly selling in small quantities or supplying to parties and events.

Mr. To Van Chua's household in Hamlet 2 has four ponds, providing a stable daily income. He had previously tried several models such as industrial shrimp farming, eel farming, and snakehead fish farming, but without much success. Taking advantage of the existing ponds, he started raising catfish. Mr. Chua said: "I use leftover food from restaurants as fish feed, and I find it profitable to sell. For the past six years, I've maintained this catfish farming model."

Every day, at dawn, Mr. Chua's family casts their nets and catches about 70 kg of fish, each weighing about 2-3 kg, to sell at the market near Kinh Moi canal. According to Mr. Chua, catfish are less prone to disease and easy to raise, mainly requiring clean water in the pond; the fish can be sold after about 18 months of farming, at a price of 35-45 thousand VND/kg.

Mr. Chua added: "Each year I earn about 200 million VND from harvesting fish, with approximately 20,000 fish. In the future, I will continue this model and may expand the farming area."

Mr. Cao Van Thom, Vice Chairman of the Tan Xuyen Ward Farmers' Association, informed: "The Association is promoting to its members and all residents in the ward the importance of utilizing vacant land and abandoned ponds to improve and develop commercial catfish farming models to increase income. At the same time, we are collaborating with agricultural and fisheries extension services to guide the farming process and techniques, especially in seed selection and improvement, to achieve better results."

Many farmers are repurposing former fish and shrimp ponds to implement commercial pangasius farming models.