Tra fish exports likely to hit 2.1 billion USD this year

Workers process tra fish at a factory of the Southern Fishery Industries Co. Ltd in Can Tho city (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – The export turnover of tra fish is forecast to hit 2.1 billion USD in 2018, up 22 percent against the previous year, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Tra fish exports are expected to continue to increase in the last few months of the year.

The ministry said the price of raw tra fish in the Mekong Delta region was at between 35,000-36,000 VND (1.49-1.53 USD) per kg. 

With this price, tra fish farmers can earn profits of between 6,000-9,000 VND per kg. 

Tra processing enterprises are now purchasing raw materials to process export products amid a higher demand on global markets by the end of 2018.

However, they have faced a shortage of raw material for export processing because many farmers have stopped tra production as they lack young fish, the ministry said. 

The ministry called on localities to re-plan their production entirely, encourage the application of science and technology, diversify export products and markets, and give priority to value-added products