Pangasius

The Pangasius... In theory, it should be the true success story: a poor country, an indigenous species, a successful research on biodiversity, with strong impact on rural development, a huge economical success... And, now, it has become the example of food scares and commercial confrontation between US/Europe on one side, Asia and new fast developing countries on the other side. What went wrong?... This web page does not give an extensive review of this problem, but provides a digest of the latest news published on Internet on this species. More details about the biology and aquaculture of Pangasius sp. can be found on the Cirad's thematic website: http://aquatrop.cirad.fr/

This page is a consolidated page updated irregularly. For the latest news, please consult the Vietnam links of "Aquaculture in Asia-Pacific" page.

Vietnam Production in 2009

More than 1 million tons

Tra (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus) fish farming in the Mekong Delta region is expected in 2009 to achieve an output of more than 1 million tons and an export turnover of over 1 billion USD this year [1]. The Mekong delta, the nation’s largest tra and basa (Pangasius bocourti) fish supplying region has netted 457,000 tons by mid-August, reported the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development [25]. Until August, Vietnam exported 264,000 tons (600 millions USD) [12]. Ten Mekong Delta provinces boast a total of more than 5,154 hectares of tra fish, more than 1,200 hectares of which yield an average 240 tons per hectare. Dong Thap province ranks first with 302 tons per hectare, following by Vinh Long (300 tons per hectare), Tien Giang (264 tons per hectare) and Tra Vinh (267 tons per hectare) [1] [25]. The water surface for tra and basa fish farming in the Mekong Delta increased of 597 ha over the same period last year, or 2.7 times over early 2009 [25].

A five-year low, with fluctuating monthly results

After many year of fast growing success, Pangasius farming and processing recently faced their first crisis and 2009 is a record five-year low for the whole seafood industry. Pangasius exports fell by 3 per cent despite remaining Vietnam's top export earner [21]. Through late July, total seafood exports have amounted to USD 2.16 billion, a fall of nearly 9.5 per cent. Through June, exports revenue fell by 8.6 per cent for filleted fish and by 7.6 per cent for shrimp and crab compared to the same period last year. Total earnings during the period dropped by 8.1 per cent compared to the same period in 2008 [21]. Information provided at a workshop on the outlook for Vietnam’s seafood exports in Hanoi on July 28 showed that decreases in sales of Pangasius and shrimp have slowed from May to July. Statistics have shown that earnings from seafood exports in July rose by 8 percent to 410 million USD, from 380 million USD in June. However, the slight increase could hardly reverse the downward trend for total export revenues in the first seven months of this year [22]. Anyway the crisis seemed to resume in September. As of September 20, the prices are 14,800 to 15,000 VND per kilogram for white-meat and 13,500 to 14,500 VND per kilogram for yellow-meat tra catfish. The falling demand and rising costs in early September forced thousands of catfish farmers in the Mekong Delta to sell their businesses and go bankrupt. It was estimated that some 12,000 tra and basa farming families, representing 90 percent of fish farmers in the delta, had been losing money. An expert from a seafood cooperative in Vinh Long Province said he foresaw about 80 percent of catfish farms to go bankrupt if market conditions do not improve [33]. In September, VASEP has predicted that the total export revenue of seafood in 2009 will reach 4.2-4.3 billion USD, a decrease of 5-7% over 2008. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Industry and Trade has reported that Vietnam’s has exported 3 billion USD worth of seafood products over the last nine months, down by 9.6% over the same period of the previous year [37].

Farmers are in the front line

In this crisis, farmers are in the front line. They were recently hit hard by sharp price drops, which resulted in many of them abandoning ponds because of their inability to make any profit. When the average price of 1 kilo of tra fish is 14,500 VND (0.81 USD) for type 1, (White meat) 13,500-14000 VND (0.76-0.79 USD) for type 2 (yellow-meat), for every kilo of fish a farmer loses 1,000 VND. And with some farmers harvesting up to 250-300 tonnes per ha, the total losses may amount to 250-300 million VND (14,000-16,800 USD). Nguyen Van Vien, owner of 10 ponds breeding tra fish in Tan Loc Island, Thot Not in Can Tho Province had been struggling to sell fish once they were harvested. There were some crops that took him several months to sell until they were eventually sold to a buyer for very low prices. To improve the volatile situation, Vien agreed to sign a contract with Nam Viet Corporation. In exchange, the company sent staff to provide technical support to ensure his methods were in compliance with standards of clean production [30].
According to a survey on profit sharing, seafood processing companies earn 78.5 percent of total profit, farmers 19.4 percent and petty merchants 2.1 percent on exports of seafood. The recent 500-600 dong per kilogramme feed price increase has made the average production cost increase to 15,000 per kilo, while the average sale price is 14,400-14,800 dong per kilo only. Recent surveys on tra farming in An Giang province showed that 70-80 percent of tra farmers are incurring losses. 2,854 households which have borrowed money to farm fish with the total borrowed capital of 1,500 billion dong. In 2009, the total area of fish farming in Mekong Delta has decreased by 30 percent over 2008. Thousands of workers of seafood processing factories have had to stay home from work because of the lack of production materials [32].

While Agifish tries to secure its supply by creating a fish farming union, a new leader emerges for exporting Pangasius

In An Giang Province, Agifish Company has launched a fish farming union, which has attracted the participation of 29 households. It can provide material to process 60 per cent of the export fish. However, not all farmers are lucky because only a small fraction of them are eligible to join the union, which requires their farming land to be at least 2-3 ha. Only six of An Giang’s enterprises have implemented this model, each of them cooperate with 20-30 households, while hundreds of other small-sized farmers are left out [30].

Vinh Hoan Corp has become last January the national leader for exporting Pangasius, both tra and basa, with 20.000 tons (60 millions USD). Its main markets are Europe (47% of total volume) and US (34%) [12]. Its owns 8 tra farming areas (total surface 136,5 ha) that accounts to 34% to its needs. This should increase this year to 186,5 ha in order to fulfill 40% of the company's needs. Vinh Hoan Corp also recently launched a processing plant, that can process 70000 tons/year [12].

World Market

New countries are being explored by Vietnamese exporters. Vietnam has been exporting to Egypt for 4 years, and value of exports reached 63 millions USD in 2008. During first two month of 2009, exports reached 5,1 millions USD [13]. With Russia, from January to July 2009, exports reached 15000 tons, reaching 2000 tons for July only [18]. However, some Vietnamese seafood businesses still complain over Russian market tariffs. Orders from large markets such as Russia, Italy and the Netherlands, have declined in the last seven months while US and China’s seafood imports have increased by 16 per cent and 79 per cent, respectively [21].
According to Euro Fish Info Network market report, sales in Europe increased remarkably from 22,000 tones in 1997 to 376,000 tones in 2005 [29]. Easter Europe and Russia are the most important outlets for Pangasius fillets. Russia imported 33,800 tones in the first ten months of 2006, more than double the corresponding 2005 result. Poland also emerged as main passage inside the European Union (EU), overtaking Spain. In the first ten months of 2006, 21,600 tones were imported. In 2008, Spain imported 121.863 tons and 89.482 tons during the first 9 months of 2009 [40].
The Asian market is not really focal and contrary to the general trend, not growing. However, the door to Japan’s market will be widened when the Vietnam - Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (VJEPA) takes effect on October 1 which imposes low tariffs on Vietnam’s exports to the country. The import tariff of Vietnam’s shrimp will be lowered to 1-2% [37].
The Middle Eastern and North African markets imported approximately 76,000 tonnes of frozen pangasius fillets from Vietnam last year for 193.3 million USD . This made up 13.3 per cent of the total export value of Vietnam’s pangasius, or 2.67 times over the export value of 2007, and a threefold jump in volume. Exports to Egypt in 2008 grew fourfold in comparison with 2007 and 10 times over 2006, while exports to Saudi Arabia increased by 119 times in terms of volume, from 93 tonnes in 2007 to 11,100 tonnes in 2008. Exports to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) spiked by 11 per cent in volume, Jordan’s imports grew by 3.1 times and exports to Morocco by 3.3 times. In contrast, pangasius exports to Egypt dropped by 50.1 per cent in May, 65.3 per cent in June and 42.2 per cent in July, compared to the same months in 2008. Overall exports between January and mid-July 2009 to Egypt were only 54 per cent that of the corresponding period last year [34].
Troubles in wild groundfish stocks led to change in demand, keeping the overall demand for Pangasius quite strong. The standard unit value was 2.55 USD/kg in 2006, which compares to 2.33 USD/kg in 2005. The lowest unit value is experienced in Russia, where it is below 2.00 USD/kg. This verifies that below standard Pangasius products are sold on the Russian market. In the EU, the unit value is moderately high at 2.80 USD/kg, up from 2.50 USD last year. The import price of Pangasius fillets is quoted at 6.30 USD/kg on the Spanish market with escalating price trend [29].

US market and production

Freshwater imports for consumption of Ictalurus spp., Pangasius spp., and other catfish of the order Siluriformes for June 2009 totaled 10.6 million pounds (4800 tons), down 6 percent from the amount imported in June 2008. Imports were from Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Mexico, Panama, Spain, Thailand, and Vietnam. The Ictalurus spp. imports totaled 1.09 million pounds (495 tons), which were from China, Mexico, Panama, and Thailand [24].
Indeed, the situation is not easy for American farmers, and competition from Vietnam just makes things worse. [28] reports that Mississippi’s catfish industry is facing some major obstacles as producers are dealing with very high feed prices (Feed prices that only a few years ago were about 240 USD a ton are now 330 USD a ton), declining acreage and fierce competition from imported fish. John Anderson, Mississippi State University Extension Service agricultural economist, said the most significant influence on catfish prices since the fall of 2008 has been the condition of the overall economy. The result is obvious: Mississippi has just 70,000 acres of catfish ponds, down from a high of 113,000 acres in 2001. Researchers at MSU continue to work with the industry as it adjusts to economic conditions. Current projects are focused on feed management, possible improvements to the refinement of grains and other feed ingredients, and ways to manage feed budgets more effectively. “Other researchers at MSU are looking at genetic issues and possibly producing catfish hybrids that have faster growth rates and resistance to common disease organisms,” Steeby said [28].

The US-Vietnam debate

• US point of view

Mekong water are heavily polluted

In [3], Dr. Engle considers quality of water is a source of hazard in Vietnamese aquaculture: “The major difference [between US and Vietnamese aquaculture] in all of this is the source of the water. Fish obviously live in the water, but they also take up whatever is in the water itself. In the United States, on catfish farms, the source of water is primarily from wells -ground water that has been filtered down through the layers of rock and soil. In Vietnam, the majority of fish being raised are raised in the Mekong delta region of Vietnam. Because there’s so little land, daily life really occurs on the water. What this means is that discharges of any kind of waste whatsoever are discharged directly into these waters. This includes discharges from factories, farms and run-off from different locations. It also includes human sewage and human waste, because Vietnam simply does not have the type of sewer systems that we have in the U.S. What is going on would not be allowed in the U.S.”

Catfish repeatedly tests positive for chemicals and banned antibiotics, and unfairly competes with US production

In [10], imported catfish from Vietnam and China is accused of having flooded the U.S. market despite repeatedly testing positive for chemicals and antibiotics banned in this country. As a consequence, a catfish labeling bill (HB 473) passed in Alabama, 2nd largest American catfish producing state, and has been signed into law by Gov. Bob Riley. “Growers in these countries, especially China, have low-cost labor, favorable currency rates and support from their governments. Their prices are well below those of our domestically produced catfish,” Steeby said in [28].

• Vietnam point of view

It's the product of their imagination

Although not new, one can still consult the website of the Vietnam Embassy in the USA [14] that gives a detailed answer to previous allegations, by denying them. As regards to the quality of water, they mention: “The argument that the Mekong river is heavy polluted and contains residue of the Agent Orange are products of their imagination because when they are pressed with questions from American journalists, they failed to provide any scientific proof to back up their assumptions. Vietnamese farmers still drink the water of the Mekong River. Dare Americans drink water from the Mississippi?”. However, water pollution is becoming alarming, experts warn and call on authorized agencies to adopt measures to ensure sustainable development of both the agricultural sector and the overall economy. Among other agricultural pollution sources, "waste from aquaculture farms is also discharged directly into lakes, rivers, and seas without treatment” Le Vien Chi, deputy head of the Department of Aquatic Production, said. “Farming households are the first victims of this pollution, losing much of their shrimp and fish populations to diseases” he said [38].
They also stress that, as regards to the food safety of Pangasius, they have been inspected by HACCP and FDA inspectors on food safety and hygiene, which concluded that they meet all HACCP requirements on food hygiene and safety. They also add that under the HACCP management program, samples of every consignment of Vietnamese catfish have been sent to FDA and that since its presence in the US market in 1995, none of Vietnamese tra and basa catfish consignments have been rejected for food safety and hygiene reasons [14].
The country was also inspected in April 2009 by EU FVO. Legislation was found to be in line with EU requirements. The Competent Authority (NAFIQAD) was found to be unable to guarantee that imported fishery products met Community requirements if they were to be re-exported to the EC. However, overall, the controls were considered adequate. The Commission requested the submission of a plan of corrective actions [39].
More recently, Vietnamese news agency reported an editorial by US senator Max Baucus in the Wall Street Journal, according to whom, there is no reason to start a commercial war on Pangasius, since no American consumer has ever become sick for consuming this fish [17].

The US Department of Commerce has cleared four Vietnamese companies of charges of dumping

As regards to the anti-dumping tax, [27] reports that after recent fact-finding tours of Tra and Basa fish breeding farms and processing factories in Vietnam, the US Department of Commerce announced that Vietnamese businesses have not dumped their products on its market. The four Vietnamese seafood companies cleared of charges of dumping frozen tra pangasius fillets on the US market between August 1, 2007 and July 31, 2008 are QVD, Vinh Hoan, Samefico and Cadovimex [29]. However, the anti-dumping tariffs on these products exported to the US might be extended another five years as the US International Trade Commission (USITC) fears that its catfish industry will be seriously injured if the high tariffs are lifted, according to [27].

Food Safety

• Is there a hazard or is it just a non-tariff trade barrier ?

When TV broadcasts sententious scary accusations about Pangasius

Whether it is true or an unfair non-tariff trade barrier raised by US and European producers against competing Vietnamese catfish, the concern about safety of imported Pangasius has obviously regularly reached the headlines of press in several countries and increased consumer's food fears [15], not only in Europe and US since “anti-pangasius” campaigns have been reported recently by [21] in Italy, Spain, the US, Egypt and France, and by [34] in Middle-East and North Africa. In France, the presentation given by a TV broadcast with a large audience, was definitely sententious and scary, giving credibility to Vietnamese claims that they are victims of unfair campaigns [15].

But several food safety alerts and actions were also launched by authorities

However, according to [18], Russia also launched food safety alerts on 16 batch in 2007, and on 38 batch in 2008, which resulted in a ban on Vietnamese pangasius imports that was lifted in May 2009 [21]. In the beginning of 2009, Egypt also banned Vietnamese catfish imports, following fears expressed by some newspapers that fish might contain residues of biological substances. To answer to those accusations, Vietnam has invited Egyptians experts to come and inspect by themselves the production conditions, as well as processing plants [13]. [31] reports the presence of Listeria monocytogenes and Vibrio cholerae in Pangasius fillet found on Vigo (Spain) market. Most recently, Spain, the biggest Vietnam’s tra and basa fish consumer in the EU (400,000 tonnes per annum) has recognized that Vietnam’s seafood products can meet the EU’s requirements on food hygiene [37]. In the UK, Cumbrian Seafood, which supplies over half of the Vietnamese river cobbler to UK supermarkets, has responded to recent criticism in the media regarding the quality of pangasius it imports from Viet Nam. The company confirms its products are sourced from farms audited for process control, traceability and fish welfare. Huw Thomas, Head of Ethical & Sustainable Sourcing at Cumbrian Seafoods said: "All of the pangasius that we import is only bought from audited farms where the factories and feed mills have achieved the highest standards in process control, traceability and fish welfare. "Pangasius fillets are checked for contaminants during farming, upon receipt at the EU approved fish filleting factories, before shipment to the EU by the EU appointed competent authority and again upon arrival into the UK. Copies of these test certificates are routinely audited and show no issues for either antibiotic, pesticide or heavy metal residues, despite the claims that the Mekong water is highly polluted" [42].

• Mislabeling and new traceability scheme

Mislabeling also occurs. [19] reports that investigation founds more than one-quarter of 21 retail fish samples in Metro Vancouver were mislabeled. Not all are related to Pangasius, but some cases were about selling basa as cod. Vietnam is currently launching a tracing of seafood programs, that should help fighting such frauds [20]. The system will include the entire cycle, from where the food was raised all the way through to its transport to exporting companies. Shrimp and tra catfish in the Mekong Delta region will be the first to try the tracing program [20]. The Catfish Farmers of America launched in October a major advertising and public safety awareness campaign called "All Catfish Should be Treated Equally". The campaign urges the USDA to enact a congressionally approved law requiring all imported catfish to meet the same stringent health and safety standards as imported beef, poultry and pork [41].
Another problem reported in Spain is that although all Vietnamese production is exported frozen, it is often sold as fresh on Spanish market [40].

• A new catfish inspection scheme

Probably as a result of this food safety concern surrounding catfish, FDA is also promoting a new catfish inspection scheme. According to [11], this new inspection program will require foreign producers of catfish (China and Vietnam) to adhere to the same regulations U.S. producers have to follow. Steeby said the USDA is setting up this inspection program, which will subject catfish to the same type of food inspection required of poultry and red meat. “If imports cannot meet these new standards, they will not be allowed in,” Steeby said [28]. This is already the case for EU food law that applies in the same conditions to Europeans and Foreign producers. Indeed, EU also support Vietnamese exporters by organizing workshops on the Sanitary and Phytosanitary Agreement (SPS) and the Technical Barriers to Trade Agreement (TBT) [16].

Pangasius Aquaculture Dialog (PAD)

WWF's primary approach to minimizing the main issues associated with Pangasius aquaculture is to develop measurable, performance-based standards for certifying Pangasius aquaculture producers. This process began in September 2007 in Vietnam when the first meeting of the Pangasius Aquaculture Dialogue was held. The Dialogue includes more than 200 Pangasius farmers, processors, exporters, traders, retailers, feed and chemical manufacturers, seed suppliers, government agency representatives, nongovernmental organizations, researchers and others. WWF coordinates the Dialogue but has an equal voice in the process [9].
Fish farmers, businesses and local and international experts, met on August 5 in Ho Chi Minh City to review preparations to establish international standards for Pangasius farming and trade. A draft standard set has been up for public review and criticism for the past two years, and the final standards are expected to be completed by the end of this year [23]. The standards will be applied to two types of fish raised in Vietnam from 2011: the tra fish (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus) and the basa (Pangasius bocourti) [26].

Pangasius outside Vietnam

• Bangladesh
  

Bangladesh could grab a large slice of the billion dollar global Pangas market, as local farms are raising the fish much cheaper than their Vietnamese counterparts, farmers and officials said Sunday. According to the Department of Fisheries, Bangladeshi farmers last year cultivated 2.25 million metric tonnes of Pangas against a nationwide demand of 2.9 million metric tonnes. It is locally known as the fish of the poor and for that reason, its price has been quite low recently. On average farmers now spend 40 BDT (0.4 EUR) to raise one-kilogram Pangas fish, which is lower than the production cost in Vietnam. “Yet, we have failed to cash in on our price advantages in the European market despite high demand. We lack hygiene and processing standards that are prerequisite for export,” Sazzad said. However, Dr. MA Mazid, national consultant of UN Industries Development Organisation (UNIDO), said “It can overtake shrimp as the leading frozen food export item, as research has shown Bangladeshi ponds and rivers are the most suitable place to raise Pangas”. To reach that goal, he said some 4,000 Pangas farms in the country should first ensure quality of fish fries, proper dietary feeding and environment friendly cultivation — features seen as crucial for entry into the export market. On the other side, farmers expect more support from the government [35].

• Puerto Rico [2]

Caribe Fisheries initiated a preliminary grow out trial to test pond culture of Pangasius in 2003. Based on the successful results of this trial we have continued to grow out Pangasius and supply local markets. Due to the commercial nature of the farm operation the production trial was not conducted as a controlled research experiment however results have been duplicated or exceeded in the years following. Initial Production Trial 2003-2004: Pangasius were grown to harvest size in a 0.05ha pond to evaluate production potential. 1,700 50 gm fingerlings were stocked Nov. 2003. Fish were fed a 28% protein sinking pellet at approx 2.5 % body weight adjusted bi-weekly. Lack of feed and initial concerns for the Pangasius’s tolerance of poor water quality and low oxygen restricted feeding during some periods of the trial. Pangasius averaged 0.33 kg by May 2004. In August 2004 harvest was begun to remove fish of approx 1 kg. Harvests were continued from Aug – Oct. 2004. Total fish harvest from the pond was over 1,700 kg or 68 mt/ha. Feeding rates reached 440 kg/ha/day near the end of the trial. Aeration was initially utilized but was discontinued due to lack of low oxygen distress of Pangasius. Occasional water exchanged was applied. No off flavor was observed in the fish. Although this initial trial cannot be considered a scientific evaluation, the results indicated that Pangasius could be successfully cultured at a high density in earthen ponds in Puerto Rico. Based on these results Caribe Fisheries has continued to produce Pangasius as a food species in Puerto Rico. While Caribe Fisheries has maintained its focus as an ornamental and fingerling production facility the Pangasius growout trial demonstrates the potential for aquaculture of this species in tropical regions of the Western Hemisphere.

• Philippines

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) launched the Pangasius as an emerging high-value fish commodity for freshwater aquaculture at Coronel Farm in Cabangcalan, Floridablanca, Pampanga, highlighting the 44th Fish Conservation Week observed every third week of October as part of BFAR’s initiatives in response to the government’s Hunger Mitigation Program. The event underscored the launching of techno-demo ponds for farming of Pangasius, a cook fest and taste-testing of Pangasius, a lecture on culture and propagation of Pangasius (BFAR Tanay Station, Bluebay Aquaculture Inc., and Vitarich Corporation) and the awarding of shallow water payaos and other fishing gears [5]. It was first introduced in the Philippines by BFAR in a research station in Tanay in 1981. Breeding trials commenced in 1985 and protocols for breeding and grow-out of the fish had been urbanized ever since. Since then, BFAR has dispersed brood stocks of Pangasius in Regions II and III. Because of the inadequate market as food fish in the past, fingerlings produced were sold in the ornamental or aquarium business as “hammerhead”. However, the recent recognition of Pangasius fillet in both the global and the local upscale markets have re-energized the aquaculture industry’s interest in farming the fish as a food commodity [5]. Dr. Alma Palma, BFAR’s station Manager explained, “Pangasius was actually brought by the ornamental fish traders. It’s called a freshwater hammerhead shark. It was brought to National Event Fisheries Technology Center in Tanay where a part of the private sector wanted to culture it commercially in Laguna. We started to culture it there and at that time, there was no demand for its meat yet” [4].

The fingerlings costs around 3-3.50 PHP (0.04-0.05 EUR) for 2 cm. Larger ones are for 6 PHP (0.08 EUR) and up. There are bulk discounts for big orders. Total production cost is about 80%. Harvestable size should be 1 kilo and up to fillet it for export. Fillet is sold at about 220-280 PHP (3-4 EUR) per kilo in the Philippine supermarkets [6]. As of now, the country imports 40 20-footer container vans of Pangasius flesh each month, and Pangasius fillet under the brandname “Cream Dory” which costs 200 PHP (2.8 EUR) per kg in local supermarkets [7].
For rice farmer and fishpond operator Cesario Manuel of Bayombong, Nueva Ecija, Pangasius raising is so far the most profitable agribusiness he has been into. He realized this when he recently harvested 1,076 kilos of Pangasius from his three fishponds with an aggregate area of 406 square meters. His stock reached an average weight of 950 grams at harvest. In fact, some of it even weighed 1.5 kilograms. Cesario’s fishponds exhibited good growth with a stocking density of three fishes per square meter, and had, the highest growth rate. And with his stock being sold at a farm gate price of 90 PHP (1.3 EUR) per kilo and having a net gain of 36,500 PHP (525 EUR), this project shows that Pangasius culture is far more profitable than tilapia raising in a similar area. However, the production cost of Pangasius culture is higher due to longer culture period (six months) and cost of fingerlings. Blue Bay Company is a local supplier of Pangasius fingerlings. As for this project, 80 percent of the production cost was used to purchase commercial fish feed, while the rest was used to buy 1,302 pieces of size 9 post-fingerlings at 10 PHP (0,14 EUR) each. There is “organic” Pangasius culture at Cagayan City in Isabela where fish are fed with indigenous diet such as vegetable and fruit surplus and trimmings, kuhol, and rice bran [7].
The first “pangga” culturist in Mindanao is Dr. Gregorio Domingo, Jr. of Tabuk, Davao City. He began his venture in May 2002 when he was gifted with 2,000 fingerlings of the fish by Indonesian Consul. He now produces as much as 100,000 fingerlings per month. Doc Greg sells the one- to two-inch long fingerlings at 5 PHP (0,7 EUR) per inch. Cost of production is 42 PHP (0.60 EUR) per kilo with the use of commercial feeds. The fish is sold fresh whole at 90-95 PHP (1.2-1.3 EUR) per kilo in Davao City. It can also be processed into fillets (180 PHP=2.6 EUR/kg) and other value-added products like longaniza and tocino [8].
The Los Baños-based Luzon State Polytechnic University-College of Agro-Fishery Sciences (LSPU-LB) is now culturing Pangasius in fishponds, fish cages, and tanks. Among the pioneers in the local Pangasius industry is the Blue Bay Aquaculture of Jimmy Kuan and Nick Cual. Its main office is on West Ave. in Quezon City, while its hatcheries are in Nueva Ecija and Isabela (Santiago City). Fingerlings are produced in these facilities and sold to grow-out fishfarmers in various parts of the country, in fact, as far as the Cotabato region in Mindanao. Pangasius fillet and whole fish are now sold in market outlets, notably in some parts of Metro Manila, although still in limited volume. A kilo costs as much as 60 PHP (0.86 EUR) [36].

REFERENCES

[1] http://english.vovnews.vn/Home/Tra-fish-exports-net-more-than-US1-billion/20098/107008.vov (consulted on August 19, 2009)
[2] http://caribefish.com/portal/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=72%3Aaquaculture-of-pangasius-hypophthalmus-in-puerto-rico&catid=19%3Aaquaculture-information&Itemid=76&lang=en (consulted on August 19, 2009)
[3] http://cfarkansas.blogspot.com/2009/08/aquaculture-expert-supports-usda.html
[4] http://www.agribusinessweek.com/all-about-pangasiuspart-3/ (consulted on August 19, 2009)
[5] http://www.agribusinessweek.com/all-about-pangasius-part-1/ (consulted on August 19, 2009)
[6] http://www.agribusinessweek.com/all-about-pangasius-part-2/ (consulted on August 19, 2009)
[7] http://www.agribusinessweek.com/farmer-makes-money-from-pangasius/ (consulted on August 19, 2009)
[8] http://www.agribusinessweek.com/pangga-the-darling-fish-of-mindanao/ (consulted on August 19, 2009)
[9] http://www.worldwildlife.org/what/globalmarkets/aquaculture/dialogues-pangasius.html
[10] http://southeastfarmpress.com/legislation/state-legislation-0819/ (consulted on August 20,2009)
[11] http://www.macon.com/opinion/story/813768.html (consulted on August 20,2009)
[12] http://fr.vietnamplus.vn/Home/Pangasius-Vinh-Hoan-Corp-leader-des-exportateurs-nationaux/20098/1320.vnplus (consulted on August 23, 2009)
[13] http://lecourrier.vnagency.com.vn/default.asp?xt=&page=newsdetail&newsid=51063 (consulted on August 23, 2009)
[14] http://www.vietnamembassy-usa.org/news/story.php?datestamp=20011114174243 (consulted on August 23, 2009)
[15] http://aquatrop.cirad.fr/encyclopedie/especes_d_interet_aquacole/pangasius/pangasius_hypophthalmus (consulted on August 23, 2009)
[16] http://lecourrier.vnagency.com.vn/default.asp?xt=&page=newsdetail&newsid=53573 (consulted on August 23, 2009)
[17] http://lecourrier.vnagency.com.vn/default.asp?xt=&page=newsdetail&newsid=54161 (consulted on August 23, 2009)
[18] http://lecourrier.vnagency.com.vn/default.asp?xt=&page=newsdetail&newsid=54125 (consulted on August 23, 2009)
[19] http://www.vancouversun.com/health/There+something+fishy+about+this/1661306/story.html (consulted on August 23, 2009)
[20] http://www.fis.com/fis/worldnews/worldnews.asp?l=e&country=&special=&monthyear=&day=&id=33522&ndb=1&df=0 (consulted on August 23, 2009)
[21] http://www.fis.com/fis/worldnews/worldnews.asp?l=e&country=&special=&monthyear=&day=&id=33363&ndb=1&df=0 (consulted on August 23, 2009)
[22] http://english.vovnews.vn/Home/Seafood-exports-likely-to-rebound/20097/106324.vov (consulted on August 23, 2009)
[23] http://www.thanhniennews.com/business/?catid=2&newsid=51479 (consulted on August 23, 2009)
[24] http://www.thefishsite.com/fishnews/10654/catfish-processing-down-4-percent-from-last-year (consulted on August 24, 2009)
[25] http://www.vnbusinessnews.com/2009/08/tra-basa-fish-farming-and-exports-look.html (consulted on August 24, 2009)
[26] http://www.vnbusinessnews.com/2009/08/farmers-contribute-to-pangasius-farming.html (consulted on August 26, 2009)
[27] http://english.vovnews.vn/Home/Seafood-businesses-seek-to-cross-trade-barriers/20098/106934.vov (consulted on August 26, 2009)
[28] http://deltafarmpress.com/news/mississippi-catfish-0902/ (consulted on September 4, 2009)
[29] http://www.agribusinessweek.com/all-about-pangasiuspart-4/ (consulted on September 10, 2009)
[30] http://www.vnbusinessnews.com/2009/09/co-operative-tra-fish-farming-winner.html (consulted on September 17, 2009)
[31] http://www.elcorreogallego.es/index.php?idMenu=2&idNoticia=322703&idEdicion=942 (consulted on September 18, 2009)
[32] http://english.vietnamnet.vn/biz/2009/09/869274/ (consulted on September 19, 2009)
[33] http://www.vnbusinessnews.com/2009/09/catfish-farmers-struggle-to-breakeven.html (consulted on September 21, 2009)
[34] http://www.fis.com/fis/worldnews/worldnews.asp?l=e&country=0&special=&monthyear=&day=&id=33906&ndb=1&df=0 (consulted on September 22, 2009)
[35] http://bangladesheconomy.wordpress.com/2009/09/27/bangladesh-can-overtake-vietnam-in-billion-dollar-global-pangas-market/ (consulted on September 28, 2009)
[36] http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=508905&publicationSubCategoryId=77 (consulted on September 28, 2009)
[37] http://www.vnbusinessnews.com/2009/09/vasep-proposes-to-lower-import-tariff.html (consulted on September 28, 2009)
[38] http://baovietnam2.wordpress.com/2009/09/28/experts-say-rural-pollution-is-alarming/ (consulted on September 28, 2009)
[39] http://www.megapesca.com/FishFiles%20Lite%20Monthly%202009/FFL200909.asp (consulted on October 4, 2009)
[40] http://www.aquahoy.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8818%3Aespana-consume-4-veces-mas-panga-de-vietnam-que-dorada-de-cultivo&catid=17&lang=es (consulted on October 20, 2009)
[41] http://midsouthfarmer.com/story.aspx?s=32423&c=9 (consulted on October 20, 2009)
[42] http://www.thefishsite.com/fishnews/11084/no-need-for-pangasius-quality-concerns-says-importer (consulted on October 30, 2009)