Snakehead Fish Prices Continue to Fluctuate Amidst Reduced Demand

The price of snakehead fish has been fluctuating between 36,000-38,000 VND/kg since the beginning of April, depending on the type, with some instances as low as 34,000-36,000 VND/kg. This price instability is largely due to reduced consumption demand, resulting in fewer traders visiting farming areas to purchase fish.

Consequently, farmers are incurring additional transportation costs by bringing their harvested fish to the market to sell to granaries or retailing them directly. At current prices, farmers are losing approximately 2,000-3,000 VND per kilogram of commercial snakehead fish. Only successful farming households are managing to break even or make a minimal profit.

Mr. Le Van Trang, a seasoned snakehead fish farmer from Dinh An commune, notes that successful farming households can make a small profit, but unsuccessful ones will incur significant losses. The increasing number of households raising snakehead fish, combined with the lack of guaranteed water sources, has led to high medicine costs and rising prices.

Despite the prolonged decline in snakehead fish prices, hundreds of farming households continue to cultivate them, hoping that demand will increase during the Lunar New Year, offsetting their losses.

Commercial snakehead fish is primarily consumed domestically, with processing facilities struggling to find export markets, limiting consumption.

According to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Tra Vinh province, the total snakehead fish production in 2024 is estimated to reach 58,000 tons, a 4,000-ton increase from 2023. Tra Cu district accounts for approximately 80% of the output, with farmers in the district typically raising snakehead fish for 2-3 crops per year.