Difficult to sell, prices of many farmed fish are dropping sharply 

(CT) - Due to the complicated development of the COVID-19 epidemic, the purchasing power of the market has decreased sharply, the output prices of many types of seafood in the Mekong Delta have plummeted, and now the prices of many farmed fish have fallen below the cost price of production, farmers suffered heavy losses.

Pangasius farming in Thoi An ward, O Mon district, Can Tho city.

Recently, the price of feather fish sold by farmers in many localities in the Mekong Delta to traders is only 42,000-44,000 VND/kg, down at least 5,000-6,000 VND/kg compared to the first months of 2021. At this price, selling each kilogram of commercial feather fish, farmers lose from 1,000-3,000 VND because the cost of raising fish is up to 45,000 VND/kg. Meanwhile, the cost of farming the square-headed perch in many households is at 25,500-26,000 VND/kg, but currently the price of perch sold by farmers is only 22,000-25,000 VND/kg. The cost of raising hybrid catfish is at VND 18,000-19,000/kg, but the selling price of catfish in many localities is only VND 16,000-17,000/kg, so farmers also suffer a capital loss. Similarly, the cost of raising white pomfret in many households is at 14,500-16,000 VND/kg, but the price of commercial fish sold by farmers is only 13,000-14,000 VND/kg.

The main output of farmed seafood for export in the Mekong Delta is pangasius, which is also facing difficulties because export pangasius processing enterprises have temporarily stopped purchasing or reduced purchases because of the complicated developments of the COVID-19 epidemic. The cost of raising pangasius for export is at 22,000-23,000 VND/kg, but recently the price of raw pangasius is only 22,000-22,500 VND/kg again, pangasius farmers continue to suffer losses. However, there are also many species of fish and freshwater aquaculture products that can be sold at a reasonable price, making farmers profitable such as Snakehead fish, Red tilapia, Giant Gourami, Eel, etc.

News, photos: KHANH TRUNG

Source: CanThoOnline, SEABINA GROUP's translation