Tra fish sector aiming for production, processing greening for sustainable development

Greening production and processing to meet export requirements is both a trend and a necessity for many industries, including the tra fish sector.

The sector is forecast to complete the export target of over 2 billion USD this year, contributing to bringing the export turnover of aquatic exports to surpass 10 billion USD as set out by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in early 2024.

At present, Vietnamese tra fish has been available in over 150 markets, enduring many ups and downs, but it has remained resilient, thanks to the efforts of processing and export businesses.

According to To Thi Tuong Lan, Deputy Secretary General of the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), greening the entire production, processing, and consumption chain of agricultural products, including tra fish, is a requirement of the European market. However, this is also a global trend, as countries aim to protect the global environment and reduce emissions in production sectors. This work has been discussed within the industry for many years. However, the preparation for this shift has been relatively slow.

According to Tran Dinh Luan, Director General of the Directorate of Fisheries, the agency has guided units to invest in technology for tra fish breeding, with an aim to ensure that the industry can meet the market demand for reduced emissions throughout the production and processing process in the near future. This is also part of its preparation efforts for next year.

The directorate is also providing technical guidance on tra fish care using probiotics to treat emissions directly at the farm. By applying technology in farming to reduce energy consumption and water usage, the industry aims to demonstrate the economic effectiveness of sustainable production and processing. Regarding capital requirements, the government has implemented several policies to help enterprises access funding at favourable interest rates. Specifically, the directorate has introduced small projects and initiatives focused on energy reduction and production cost savings, encouraging businesses to adopt green production and processing practices within the tra fish supply chain, Luan added.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Phung Duc Tien urged ministries, sectors, and localities to develop industrial-scale farming with a focus on biosafety, tight control over antibiotic use, green production, the formation of a supply chain, and the development of potential markets.