Proconco, Mazzetta and Amanda are joining forces to boost pangasius exports. (Photo: Amanda/ FIS)
US company helps Vietnamese farmers plan export boom
(VIET NAM, 4/6/2010)
Major US premium-frozen seafood importer Mazzetta and Amanda Foods will collaborate with Vietnamese animal feed manufacturer Viet France Animal Feed Production Joint Stock Company (Proconco) to increase pangasius (tra and basa) exports to the US.
All three companies announced the "From Farm to Table" concept that underlies their co-operation programme at a meeting with the ministries of Agriculture and Rural Development, Foreign Affairs, the National Agro-Forestry-Fisheries Quality Assurance Department and local farmers in the Mekong province of An Giang on 24-26 March.
The representatives discussed matters such as fish origins and sustainable aquaculture development with officials at the An Giang Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and the provincial Association of Fisheries. They visited local fish farms and advised fish exporters regarding the requirements of the US market, in which feed is a key component, reports VOVNews/VNA.
“Tracing and sustainability are challenges to Vietnam’s tra fish to the US, which has high demands in product standards,” said Mazzetta Founder and CEO Tom Mazzetta, Thanh Nien Daily reports.
The programme involves choosing a Mekong province to be the pioneer in applying the integration concept including high-quality feed, farming process standardisation, use of approved processing factory and setting product brands.
Subsequently, the model will be disseminated across the Mekong Delta.
Proconco will invest in researching and developing the fish feed and will support farmers with farming and processing technologies to meet the needs of North American customers.
Upon the new model’s success, Mazzetta would boost Vietnamese tra and basa fish imports from the current 600-1,000 tonnes per month, according to the company.
At the meeting, the group also discussed how Vietnam could tackle the 2008 US Farm Bill, which may regulate the farming requirements of tra and basa. Still, industry experts say this is not a reasonable law because pangasius and catfish are considered different species in the US and both are farmed differently.
Mazzetta said his company shares similar concerns with Vietnam about the new trade barrier. The firm had advised Vietnamese authorities to take swift action to deal with matters brought about by the Farm Bill, he clarified.
Mazzetta and Amanda will both also try to persuade the US Government to reconsider the tax rates and trading difficulties facing tra and basa fish export to the US, he added.
Related article:
- Review of rules extended for imported pangasius
By Natalia Real
[email protected]
www.seafood.media
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