There are now four hatchery ponds, two nursery ponds, three processing companies and at least 60 fish ponds devoted to Pangasius cultivation, Dorecita T. Delima, DTI regional assistant director, said.

Also called iridescent shark catfish, Pangasius thrives in Vietnam’s Mekong River.

The regional Pangasius industry generated 150 jobs and domestic sales of P106 million from farmers and processors from January 2009 to January 2010, Delima said.

Investments in Pangasius are concentrated mostly in Midsayap and Pigcawayan in North Cotabato; Koronadal City, Polomolok, Tupi, Sto Nino, Banga, Lake Sebu, and Norala in South Cotabato; Senator Ninoy Aquino and Tacurong City in Sultan Kudarat; General Santos City; and Alabel in Saranggani, the regional DTI office reported.

The positive acceptance of Pangasius production among local farmers has prompted a major processing company, RDex Food Corp. Inc., to stop importing the fish variety, Delima said in an accomplishment report.

RDex Food, a member of homegrown business empire RD Group of Companies here, has been importing pangasius fillet valued annually at P2.73 million, she noted.

Roger E. Rivera, senior vice president and chief operating officer of RDEX Foods, earlier said the firm recognizes the potential of Pangasius in the international market and that it is keen on helping the industry grow in the locality.

The company will buy the Pangasius harvest of local farmers at a desired weight and is willing to provide the growers technical assistance in its cultivation, he said.

RDex processes Pangasius into fillet, round steak, buttered fish fingers and patties.

Ms. Delima said in her report that RDex Foods will be ready to compete in the export market once local pangasius supply becomes stable and sustainable.

Two more micro entrepreneurs, Kimkyts Food Products and KM Food Products, also based in this city, are now processing pangasius into fish balls, shanghai rolls, nuggets, siomai, and patties, Delima said.

To support the industry, the regional Trade department has coordinated the distribution of 1.5 million pangasius fingerlings to 60 farmer-growers in 2009.

Initial harvest was done mid-year of 2009 while the rest are expected to be harvested by the first quarter of 2010.

Sixteen demonstration farms were established in 2009 to educate interested industry stakeholders and to disseminate the technology to farmer-growers. An additional 12 demo farms are expected to be set up around the region this year.

Delima said that the Land Bank of the Philippines and Development Bank of the Philippines have opened financing plans for Pangasius-related investments, to encourage more players to the industry.

Louie Medel, a board member of the South Cotabato Association of Farmers Multi Purpose Cooperative, said the cooperative decided to engage in the Pangasius industry due to its potentials and the support from the state agencies.

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources is assisting us with the technology while the DTI worked out marketing agreements with feed companies and buyers, he said.

Data from the regional Trade office said that the Philippines imports around 600 metric tons of  Pangasius fillet, valued at $1.65 million, from Vietnam every month. Markets for this fish are also opening in Europe, US, and other countries in Asia.

Delima projected the local market can generate sufficient supply to enter the international market by 2012. (MindaNews)

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