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| Ornamental fish in tanks. The domestic ornamental fish market has not developed much. — VNA/VNS Photo Ngoc Ha |
HCM CITY (Biz Hub) — HCM City has exported 8.6 million ornamental fish in the first seven months of the year, an 18.2 per cent increase year-on-year, according to its Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.
The country's main ornamental fish production hub is home to around 300 businesses, mostly situated in districts 9, 12, Binh Chanh, and Cu Chi.
They breed more than 60 varieties of fish and mostly export to the EU, America, Africa, and Asia.
However, the domestic market has not developed much, ornamental fish producers and exporters said.
Tran Van Son, deputy head of the city Sub-department of Quality Management and Fisheries Resources Protection, said the domestic market has not developed much because of the limited space available to sell the fishes and the fact that sellers lack close linkages.
To address the shortage of space, the city administration has tasked districts with suggesting a place to build an ornamental fish trading centre, he said.
They have been instructed to co-operate with neighbouring provinces like Dong Nai, Long An and Tien Giang that have advantages in terms of land, water and experience in ornamental fish farming to raise the fish in natural ponds, he said.
The businesses should be provided with favourable investment conditions to produce high-quality fish fries and adults for export, he said.
The city People's Committee has approved a plan for ornamental fish farming that targets production of 150-180 million fish a year by 2020 and export of 30-50 million fish worth US$50 million.
Last year exports were worth more than $12 million. — VNS