The Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) has produced a list of suggested measures to rescue what it calls the country’s “struggling” pangasius industry.
“To keep business, fish farmers and processing companies have to reduce their farming areas or limit fish stocking,” VASEP said in an introduction to its suggested measures.
VASEP suggested the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to ask the government to make pangasius export a “conditional industry.” Under this condition, companies cannot export their pangasius products without first making sure its processing plants satisfy requirements for food safety.
VASEP also called for the government to allow the Vietnam Development Bank to offer loans to borrowers in the pangasius aquaculture and export sector. The association also asked for banks to consider “rescheduling and restructuring debts” for companies, and offering more loans to fish farmers.
The association also called on banks to extend credit limits for 20 “leading pangasius companies.” Those companies, according to the association, make up over 60 percent of the country’s export earnings.
Finally, the association asked the government for tougher sanctions to force companies to limit the use of additives in pangasius processing.
