As many as 45 Vietnamese aquaculture facilities raising Tra fish – which accounts for 95 percent of the world market of white fish fillets – have been awarded the Global Good Agricultural Practice (GlobalGAP) certificate.

The Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Processors (VASEP) released the information recently, adding that another 18 fish farms are in the process of applying for or are waiting on such prestigious certification.

GlobalGAP is an international standard assuring transparency of origin, quality and food safety at each stage of production for cultivation, animal husbandry and aquaculture.

In addition, a number of Tra fish farms across the country have received certificates of other international standards such as AquaGAP, a new standard for good agricultural practice, and SQF, which stands for Safe Quality Food.

VASEP explained that these prestigious certificates improved the image of Vietnamese Tra fish on the international market, increasing shares in the traditional markets and expanding opportunities for new markets.

In the first quarter of the year, Vietnam exported over 153,000 tonnes of Tra fish worth over 376 million USD. The figures represented a year-on-year increase of 5.2 percent in quantity and 21.6 percent in value.

Tra fish products are now available in 136 markets overseas./.