Vietnamese catfish - better management practices update

A number of farmers have volunteered to trial the draft better management practices (BMPs) developed by the catfish BMP project, for the purpose of evaluation and demonstration. The draft BMPs were developed following extensive surveys of industry practice and stakeholder meetings convened by the project team in October 2009 in Cao Lanh City, Dong Thap Province (Chaired by Provincial Agricultural Office and the Director RIA 2, Dr. Nguyen Van Hao), and in Can Tho City (Chaired by Professor Nguyen Than Phuong of Can Tho University).

Eleven BMP demonstration farms have been setup in partnership between farmers and the project team and are about three months into the six-month production cycle. These include seven grow out farms (three in Can Tho, one each in An Giang, Hau Giang, Vinh Long and Dong Thap), three nurseries (two in Dong Thap, one in Can Tho) and on hatchery in An Giang.

Better management practices for catfish aquaculture released

'Better Management Practices for Catfish Aquaculture' Version 3.0 was released at a national workshop in Long Xuyen City, An Giang Province, Vietnam on 24 November. These improved farming practices are the culmination of a three-year project investigating catfish farming practices in the Mekong Delta, funded by AusAID under the auspices of the program Collaboration for Agriculture and Rural Development (CARD), and conducted in partnership between NACA, the Research Institute for Aquaculture No. 2, Can Tho University, the Victorian Department of Primary Industries and catfish farmers in the Mekong Delta.

Speaking at the workshop, NACA's Director General, Prof. Sena De Silva, said that Vietnamese catfish aquaculture is the most productive farming sector in the world and has put Vietnamese aquaculture firmly on the global map. 'More than one million tonnes of fish are produced from an area of less than 10,000 hectares in the Mekong Delta. The industry provides around 180,000 jobs and generates more than US$ 1 billion in foreign exchange for the country', he said.

Catfish farming is highly intensive. The industry average yield in the delta exceeds 400 tonnes per hectare per crop, with farmers producing two crops per year. However, the profit margin is slim and farmers need to produce high volumes to survive. In this business, a few cents per kilo can make the difference between making a huge profit or a huge loss. 'But we have to understand that we cannot continue to intensify indefinitely', Prof. De Silva said. Right: Vice Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development, Madam Thu.

Ramping up adoption of catfish BMPs

A new project funded by the European Commission will help Vietnamese catfish farmers improve their efficiency and profitability. The project will assist farmers to implement better management practices (BMPs), working in cooperative groups formed from 'clusters' of nearby farms.

Vietnamese catfish aquaculture has expanded massively over the past decade, with annual production now exceeding one million tonnes. Production is extremely intensive, with average yields of around 400 tonnes per hectare. However, the profit margin is very low - just a few cents per kilogram - and farmers are under intense pressure to reduce their production costs.

Striped catfish farming in the Mekong Delta: A tumultuous path to a global success

This new peer reviewed publication is available from the journal Reviews in Aquaculture. The abstract follows:

The striped catfish (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus) (Sauvage), also referred to as tra catfish or sutchi catfish, farming sector is an icon of aquaculture development in Vietnam and globally. Over a decade it has developed from a humble backyard operation to one that currently accounts for the production of over one million tonnes, employing over 180 000 rural poor, and generating an export income exceeding US$ 1.4 billion (2010). It accounts for the highest average production, ranging from 200 to 400 t ha?1 crop, ever recorded for the primary production sector. The system is integrated and incorporates seed production, fry to fingerling rearing and grow-out, and is concentrated in a few provinces in the Mekong Delta (8°33?–10°55?N, 104°30?–106°50?E), along two branches of the Mekong River. In essence, perhaps, the initial trade restrictions on catfish exports to the USA provided the impetus and then the associated developments from 2002 to 2005 of the sector to a great extent in seeking new markets. The explosion of tra catfish farming has resulted in many competitive sectors challenging this ‘tra catfish’ invasion into a globalized market. These confrontations still exist with many instances of attempts to discredit the sector and discourage international consumers. However, the Vietnamese catfish sector is resilient and has managed to withstand such pressures and continues to thrive. This paper reviews the development of catfish farming in the Mekong Delta, its current status and what is required to sustain it as a major food source and livelihood provider.