After 2019 is quite bleak, many pangasius farmers in the Mekong Delta expect that in 2020, pangasius will prosper again to clear debts. However, over the first 2 months of the year, a series of fish farmers became more miserable because of the catastrophic price decline and difficulty in consumption. In addition, saline intrusion encroaches on the mainland, causing some catfish farming areas to be greatly affected ...

The complicated COVID-19 epidemic has greatly affected catfish consumption and export in the Mekong Delta.  

►Exhausted farmers

Mr. Cao Luong Tri, a farmer who has been farming Pangasius for 10 years in My Hoa Hung commune, Long Xuyen City (An Giang), sourly said: "Never had Pangasius become miserable as it is now, when the price dropped very badly. strong in a long time and difficult consumption. Many fish tunnels are too difficult to sell after harvesting. "

Mr. Tri said: "Nearly 3 hectares of water surface of my family, raising about 1,000 tons of pangasius, up to now 8-9 months. It is true that the fish is sold to export processing factories before the Lunar New Year. 2020. However, the price of fish is not high so I have to farm fish longer with hoping that after the Tet holiday, the price can be sold out better. Unfortunately, due to the impact of COVID-19 disease, the price of fish has decreased sharply, and the price of fish is only about VND 18,000 / kg at the moment, but the plants apply to buy fish with debt 1-3 months to pay. This situation makes farmers lose heavily".

With the same concern, Mr. Le Quang Vinh, Vinh Hanh commune, Chau Thanh district, An Giang province, said that more than 2 hectares of fish of his family lasted about 10 months, causing the oversized fish to 1.8 kg/fish . In the end, he had to rush to sell to the factory for 17,700-18,000 VND / kg, but sold unpaid at once, after 3 months to pay. "In 2019, the price of fish was low, so my family lost several billion dongs. Since the beginning of the year, the price of fish has plummeted, causing a series of farming households to fall into difficult situations. Like the last sale, I lost an average of 5,000- 6,500 VND / kg, due to prolonged farming, the cost of production increases very high, then sold low prices and lost a lot"- Mr. Vinh sadly said.

Mr. Tran Phung Hoang Tuan, Director of An Giang Fisheries Department, said that every year, the whole province stocked about 1,500 hectares of Pangasius with an output of 440,000 tons; in which, raising of businesses accounted for 63%. Pangasius is the strength of the province, but from 2019 to now, the gloomy price makes it difficult for both buyers and factories ...

In Dong Thap, Vinh Long, Can Tho City ... the situation is similar. Mr. Nguyen Thanh Binh, from Chau Thanh district, Dong Thap province, worried: "More than 200 tons of commercial fish of my family weigh more than 700g/fish and the harvest time is near. However, factories Processing and exporting aquatic products is currently only bought at VND 18,000-19,000 / kg (depending on type). At this price, if farmers raise well and sell on the right weight, they will lose 3,000-4,000 VND/kg, and if raising not well then will lose more. Not to mention, at this time, many factories buy with "debts" rather than pay cash."

In addition to the above difficulties, many pangasius farmers in Ben Tre, Tra Vinh, Tien Giang ... also face saline intrusion attacks, causing disadvantages for pangasius. Mr. Nguyen Van Dao, Chairman of Go Dang Seafood Company (Tien Giang), said: "This year's salinity comes early, extends and maintains high levels. Many rivers in Ben Tre, Tra Vinh and Tien Giang has a salinity of 4-25 ‰, causing pangasius to lose mucus, stop eating, burst eyes ... die a lot .. Farmers know but it is difficult to prevent, because Pangasius ponds need to change fresh water every day to avoid pollution, while in the river all salt water. So when pumping is affected to fish ... ".

According to Ben Tre Provincial People's Committee, saltwater attacked to make 22 hectares of Pangasius farming in Thanh Phu Dong commune, Giong Trom district, with 3 - 4% losses; In addition, there are also 214ha of Pangasius in Mo Cay Nam and Giong Trom districts affected ...

► Hard to find solutions 

Chairman of Vietnam Pangasius Association - Mr. Duong Nghia Quoc analyzed, in 2019, Pangasius export to China reached more than 662 million USD, up 25% and accounted for 33% of the total value. However, in January to 2020, the export turnover of Pangasius to China has achieved not to 17 million USD yet, accounting for only 16% of the total value and down more than 55% over the same period; all due to the effects of the COVID-19 epidemic. Also in January, 2020, pangasius export turnover to the EU decreased by nearly 51%; ASEAN decreased by 42.8%; Brazil decreased by 44%; Japan down 45% ... "Recently, the complicated COVID-19 outbreak in many European countries, Asia ... added difficulties for the output of pangasius in the near future. If we are not fast quickly have a reasonable and effective solution, the goal of exporting Pangasius about 2.2 billion USD in 2020 will be difficult to achieve "- Mr. Quoc worried.

Leaders of Nam Viet Joint Stock Company (An Giang) acknowledged: "Many pangasius exporters are reducing their production by 30-40%, therefore making inventories a lot, costly storing and staganation of capital flows, ineffective business ... Many difficulties are surrounding pangasius businesses ". Aquatic enterprises said that among the above disadvantages, it should be noted that pangasius export turnover to the US in January2020 reached over US $ 18.1 million, although down 55% over the same period, but accounting for 17.8% of the total value, the highest compared to other markets. The reason is that the US Department of Agriculture has just announced officially recognizing the Pangasius management and supervision system of Vietnam equivalent to the United States, creating more favorable conditions for Vietnamese enterprises to speed up the export of Pangasius to the United States. States in the future ".

Pangasius farmers in the Mekong Delta are facing many difficulties because of falling fish prices. 

However, according to analysts, it is not possible to rely too much on the United States, but urgently need to implement a number of solutions simultaneously in an effort to maintain traditional markets and expand new markets in the context of permission, including increases in the domestic market. Mr. Nguyen Van Dao, Chairman of Go Dang Seafood Company, proposed that the functional bodies should immediately implement the consideration of tax reduction and exemption for Pangasius exporting enterprises; Simple administrative procedures, not applicable operational inspection at this time; especially to extend the time of social insurance payment. The bank has studied the debt rescheduling, debt freezing, and interest rate reduction to share difficulties with exporting enterprises. It is necessary to synchronously implement many new solutions to help the pangasius industry to overcome difficulties soon.

According to Mr. Tran Phung Hoang Tuan, Director of An Giang Fisheries Department, together with the market solution, in this difficult period, people should not raise spontaneous farming without consuming contracts with enterprises. In addition, it is necessary to strengthen measures to prevent fish diseases due to adverse weather. Applying sparse farming, raising according to GAP standards ...

Recently, after a factual survey on the situation of consumption of rice, sticky rice and pangasius, Ms. Vo Thi Anh Xuan, Secretary of An Giang Provincial Party Committee, said: "This is an opportunity for us to restructure production according to orientation of production associated with consumer markets Besides, it is necessary to propagate to raise the awareness of people and businesses, so that farmers and businesses are responsible for what they produce. Therefore, it must meet the market demand, avoid the expectation and rely on the "rescue" of the State, towards the initiative in the consumption of agricultural products, especially the two main commodities. The province's rice and pangasius ".

Source: Can Tho online, translated in English by Seabina Co.,Ltd