An Giang (VNA) – A conference to launch adevelopment plan for the tra fish sector was held in the Mekong Delta provinceof An Giang on February 18, attracting leaders of 10 regional cities andprovinces that rely on tra fish farming.

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyen XuanCuong said the sector will strive to yield 1.51 million tonnes of tra fish andearn nearly 2.4 billion USD from exports this year.

He asked localities to tap into the advantages of tra fishbreeding that is adaptable to the impacts of climate change and environmentalprotection.

Businesses and local authorities were urged to closely managetra fish breeding zones; encourage farmers to join the connectivity chain with otherfirms; and monitor traces of origin, food safety, and the quality of fries.

Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Tran AnhThu said regional localities should form a close-contained cluster specialisedin fry breeding and fillet processing for export, making it easier forconsumers to trace the origin of products.

Doan Toi, General Director of Nam Viet JSC, suggested thatlocalities do not expand breeding areas to prevent an oversupply. Meanwhile, enterprisesshould improve their product quality, as well as expand and restore traditionalmarkets in the European Union and South America, he said.

Minister Cuong said the Mekong Delta raised about 5,400ha oftra fish for commercial use last year, up 3.25 percent annually. Over 3.8ha ofwhich met VietGAP standards and more than 1.42 million tonnes were produced, up13.6 percent.

Tra fish prices averaged nearly 29,000 VND (1.26 USD) per kglast year – even reaching 35,000 VND-36,000 VND per kg in October, raising thetotal export revenue to 2.26 billion USD. –VNA