The segment of value-added products for tra fish (11-09-2017)
Investment in deep processing that helps increase the value of tra fish is an indispensable trend currently. Accordingly, some companies have initially created high value products such as cooking oil, collagen, and gelatin, etc, from tra fish.
The yield production of tra fish in Viet Nam reaches about 1.1 million tons per year. At a rate of 2.6 kilos of raw material per 1 kilo of fillet, tra fish processing factories must handle about more than 800 thousand tons per year of the by – products.
Since 1987, Viet Nam started exporting tra fish’s fillet, however, when the first superfluous crisis occurred in 2008, for the first time, the volume of these supplements were separated to fish stomach, fish skin that were processed for exporting or supplying for the restaurants. The rest was extracted to raw fat that was exported to Asian countries at low price. But, these huge profits belonged to the foreign traders.
Currently, demand for fish oil and complex processing products from tra fish is huge, however, there is still restriction for domestic companies to make these products.
According to Viet Nam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), the proportion of deep-processing and value-added products from tra fish is only about 20%, of which domestic market accounted for one half. Export products are welcomed in the European market, in the form of small fillets, breaded, processed. Currently, some products of tra fish are developed in Japanese market and have seen obvious prospects.
Prior to the above issues, the Directorate of Fisheries defined the strategy of "Diversifying products, attaching importance to the development of value added products". Accordingly, this plan will encourage the development of high quality products to improve the image and value of Vietnamese tra fish in the world market. In addition, it should use efficiently by-products to take advantage of the potential, associated with trade promotion, market development for new products.
Government should have preferential credit policies to encourage enterprises, which invest in technology, diversify products, and being the focal point of the new value chain...
Thuy Quynh