Monday, October 06, 2008 Pangasius catfish production gains ground in C. Mindanao
PRODUCTION of a new catfish (hito) variety has gained ground in General Santos City in a bid to produce stable domestic supply of the product now being touted as the "next generation fish" in the country.
This new catfish variety is called Pangasius, also known as sutchi catfish or striped catfish.
The most common varieties being grown in the country are African and native catfishes.
In an interview, Rochelle A. Otoc, industry development officer for the local Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), said the country is importing 500 metric tons of Pangasius fillet from Vietnam used by restaurants and fast food chains.
"Based on consultations with fish pond owners in the region, they can easily provide the 30 hectares initially targeted for the commercial production of Pangasius catfish in the area," Otoc said.
Citing a study, she said the production cycle for Pangasius lasts for six month, with a piece weighing to as much as one to one-and-a-half kilogram.
Production cost for each fish amounts to P33.38, she added.
A hectare of fresh water pond could accommodate 100,000 fingerlings, which could net at least 85,000 kilos at 85% survival rate, Otoc said on conservative estimates.
After the six-month cycle, mature live fish fetches P50 per kilogram at farm gate price but could rise to P130 per kilogram when in the form of a fillet, Otoc said, noting that a kilo of fillet can be produced from three Pangasius pieces.
Thriving in Vietnam's Mekong River, adult Pangasius could grow up to 130 centimeters or four feet in length and weigh up to 44 kilograms or 97 pounds.
Dorecita T. Delima, DTI-Central Mindanao assistant regional director, said a Pangasius demonstration farm was recently inaugurated here where 3,000 fingerlings were dispersed.
"To saturate the local demand of the market, we are promoting here another potential inland fishing to increase investments in the region as well as to increase the volume of our export products and produce more employment through Pangasius production," Delima said.
She noted the organization of the Pangasius Industry Cluster to popularize the new catfish variety.
Delima expressed hopes that fishpond owners in the provinces of South Cotabato, North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and Sarangani will realize the potentials of Pangasius and would soon start production by converting some of their tilapia and African or native catfish ponds.
Otoc said that unlike the African or native catfish varieties, which thrive on fish trashes or chicken entrails being carnivorous fishes, Pangasius can be cultivated using feedstocks.
There has been a supply problem with fish trashes to feed the African and native catfishes that’s why DTI is trying to promote the cultivation of Pangasius, she explained.
Otoc said the cultivation of Pangasius offers not only marketing opportunity for producers in the country but also abroad since the fish is also in great demands in the United States, Europe and Russia.
Animal feed producer Vitarich Corp has developed a technology for Pangasius production that is being utilized in the cultivation of the fish in the region, she added.
