According to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Processors, free breeding has significantly increased the country's catfish output, causing a supply surplus resulting in low prices for farmers.
VASEP suggested the catfish output be adjusted to better match demand and spur an increase in prices.
The Mekong Delta region, home to 84 catfish processing factories, has yielded more than 1.2 million tons of catfish so far this year. The Southern Institute of Fisheries Economics and Planning said the catfish industry in the region has yet to be sustainable and is vulnerable to market changes while also potentially detrimental to the environment.
Last week, VASEP also proposed increasing seafood imports to boost export revenues and asked the government to lower seafood import tariffs to 0 or 0.5 percent.
