Major pangasius company Nam Viet Joint Stock Company, or Navico, is in discussions with a partner from South Korea to build a factory in Vietnam that would produce collagen from pangasius, Navico’s assistant to its board of directors, Nguyen Trong Huu, said on 25 September.
Production is expected to begin next year, he told attendees at a seminar in Hanoi.
A representative from Navico’s Investor Relations Department told SeafoodSource on 26 September that Navico had a factory built a few years ago that can be used for producing collagen. But Navico and the partner will decide whether they will use that factory or set up a new one.
The collagen will be sold in Vietnam and exported to South Korea, the representative added.
They declined to give the name of the Korean partner or more details of the project, such as the estimated investment capital, processing capacity, or sales value of the project. They added that talks are currently underway.
Currently Vinh Hoan, the leading producer and exporter of pangasius, is the only producer of collagen from pangasius skin in Vietnam, a company’s representative confirmed to SeafoodSource.
Vinh Hoan exported collagen and gelatin worth USD 11.2 million (EUR 10.2 million) in 2018, doubling its 2017 total.
Photo courtesy of Navico
