The output of pangasius in Vietnam decreased in the second month in a row in February, while the country’s shrimp production also fell compared to a year ago.
Vietnam is estimated to have produced 81,100 metric tons (MT) of pangasius in February, down 1.5 percent year-on-year, according to latest data from the General Statistics Office (GSO).
Of the three major pangasius producing provinces in Mekong Delta, only Dong Thap saw its output rise with 35,000 MT, up 4 percent year-on-year. Output in An Giang Province fell 4.4 percent to 25,400 MT and in Ben Tre Province, production dropped 7.2 percent to 12,500 MT.
In the first two months of this year, the spread of the COVID-19 virus, commonly referred to as coronavirus, has caused a delay in exports of pangasius from Vietnam to China, the largest market for the fish from Mekong Delta. That slowdown has driven down material prices, which had been rising in the early part of 2020 after pangasius prices fell sharply in 2019 due to oversupply.
Now, pangasius prices have dropped to a 10 year-low, according to Vietnam’s GSO, and pangasius farmers are incurring losses of VND 3,500 to VND 5,000 (USD 0.15 to USD 0.21, EUR 0.14 to EUR 0.19) per kilogram, on average, across the country.
Data from Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) shows that pond prices in Dong Thap Province in the week ending 27 February had dropped to VND 18,000 to VND 19,000 (USD 0.77 to USD 0.82, EUR 0.70 to EUR 0.74) per kilogram for smaller size 0.7- to 0.8-kilogram fish, much lower than the peak of around VND 35,000 (USD 1.50, EUR 1.36) per kilogram in late 2018.
Vietnam’s production of farmed shrimp also fell in February. Its 18,100 MT of whiteleg shrimp production is down 0.5 percent year-on-year, as local farmers were about to start a new crop. The country’s output of giant tiger shrimp remained unchanged compared to February 2019 at 13,200 MT.
In total, Vietnam produced an estimated 240,400 MT of farmed seafood in February, up 1.5 percent, including an estimated 174,200 MT of fish, up 1.4 percent; and an estimated 33,100 MT of shrimp, 1.2 percent lower year-on-year. The country produced estimated 261,500 MT of wild-caught seafood in February, up 5.9 percent year-on-year.
Its total output, including farmed and wild-caught seafood production, in February surged 3.7 percent year-on-year to estimated 501,900 MT, comprised of 379,000 MT of fish, up 3.8 percent; 42,100 MT of shrimp, down 0.2 percent; and 80,800 MT of other species, up 5.8 percent.
In the first two months of this year, Vietnam is estimated to have produced more than 1 million MT of seafood, up 2.7 percent from 2019, including 500,300 MT of farmed seafood, up 2.2 percent; 503,900 MT of wild-caught seafood, 3.2 percent higher year-on-year.
Photo courtesy of the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers
