Hanoi to host first-ever tra fish fair

Tran Dinh Luan, Deputy Director of the Directorate of Fisheries, speaks at the press brief.

More than 100 pavilions will be set up at the Vietnam seafood and tra fish (pangasius) fair, the first of its kind, to be held in Hanoi from October 6 to 8, as announced by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) at a press brief this morning, September 8.

The event is one of the key activities deployed to advertise and promote the tra fish using habits within the country. It moves towards advertising the image and trademarks of products, facilitating domestic tra fish consumption and expanding the international market, with a focus on the Chinese market.

Alongside the booths established to introduce Vietnam’s tra fish products, value added products and supporting products in service of tra fish production, many of the pavilions at the fair also introduce Vietnam’s advantageous and key seafood products.

According to Tran Dinh Luan, Deputy Director of the Directorate of Fisheries, stated that together with maintaining the traditional tra fish export markets, such as the United States and the European Union, this year, the MARD will give priority to the domestic market, particularly the northern market, and the Chinese market, as a focus of its tra fish market development strategy.

There will be no difference in terms of the quality of tra fish between products for exports and those for domestic consumption, he said, adding that at the upcoming fair, tra fish products on display will be fully labelled with origin traceability, aiming to make it more convenient for consumers.

The Directorate of Fisheries will strengthen connectivity in order to expand the tra fish distribution channels to consumers via wholesale and retail centres in the northern region, thereby enhancing the volume of domestically consumed products, Luan stated.

Tra fish cuisine activities will be held under the framework of the fair with the participation of famous chefs, seeking to introduce enterprises’ delicious dishes made from tra fish. A symposium on production and consumption of tra fish products is also scheduled.