Vietnamese catfish export industry expected to face stiff competition

Vietnam's catfish industry is expected to face increased competition from other countries in the near future. Catfish production has been increasing rapidly in India and catfish products have been present in more than 200 traditional markets within the country. Also, Indonesia has been promoting trade promotion into the Middle East market by launching a product line specifically for this market, delivering the first shipment to Saudi Arabia's market. The shortage of Vietnamese catfish products in this market, due to Saudi Arabia's ban on the import of Vietnamese seafood products, has contributed to Indonesia's initial success in this market. In China, there are currently 20 catfish processing plants with an estimated production capacity of 30,000 MT. In Vietnam, catfish export products only revolve around frozen, cut, and fillet products. While high-quality, high-value products (made from fish heads, fish bones, fish fat, bubbles, fish stomach, etc.) account for only about 2% of Vietnam's annual exports.