Seafood Processing - The Gray Picture

(Baonghean) -Nghe An has 82 km of coastline, with an area of ​​4,239 square nautical miles, which is a favorable condition for developing the fisheries economy. According to the investigation of specialized agencies, the annual allowable exploitation output is from 45,000 - 50,000 tons. In recent years, due to the development of high-capacity fishing equipment, going offshore, and staying at sea for long periods, the exploitation output has increased rapidly. In 2012, the total exploitation output of the province reached 110,000 tons, not to mention nearly 8,000 tons of brackish water aquaculture products.

With the above output, Nghe An is considered a locality with a developed aquatic economy. Along with the rapid increase in exploitation output, the processing industry has also gradually developed. However, at present, Nghe An's processing industry is considered to have developed disproportionately to the exploitation output. The assessment of the Nghe An Processing Industry Development Project to 2020 clearly stated: Small-scale, fragmented, backward aquatic processing, weak facilities and financial capacity.

Nghe An's seafood processing products are still poor and monotonous. The products have not been invested in deep processing to create added value, which is the strength of the seafood industry (except for frozen products). Nghe An's industrial processing products are lacking in diversity to meet the needs of daily life. In some other localities, seafood processing products are very rich. For example, from the catfish of the Mekong Delta, manufacturers have brought to the market many products to meet the needs of consumers. In addition to fillet products for export, supermarkets are selling many products from this catfish species such as: braised fish in clay pots, fish cakes, sour soup, even basa fish stomach is a by-product of catfish but is also available in supermarkets, and this dish is also attracting diners...

Mr. Nguyen Van Hung's fish sauce processing facility, Dien Bich commune, Dien Chau. Photo: Pham Bang

Returning to Nghe An products, let’s analyze a key product: fish sauce. According to statistics, fish sauce production in 2011 reached 25 million liters, which is the main product of the processing industry. There are 4 enterprises and more than 900 households participating, typically Van Phan fish sauce - a product of Van Phan Dien Chau Seafood Joint Stock Company. Although it has a tradition and a brand, this company has also struggled many times when its products were stagnant.

In recent years, there have been times when our fish sauce has “lost right at home”. In the “holy lands” of Van Phan, Dien Chau, or the cradle of the Quynh Di fish sauce craft village (Quynh Luu), Chinsu, Nam Ngu… products are still sold everywhere. According to a survey of some households in Vinh City, about 80% of families use fish sauces that do not carry the Nghe An brand. They explained: Although our fish sauce has a high protein content, there are inconveniences such as having to process it to be pure, it is too salty to eat, and on the other hand, the characteristic smell is very difficult to remove. In the city, most of the houses are multi-storey, and the smell lingers for a long time if cooked with local fish sauce.

According to an officer of the Department of Cooperatives, author of the Project on developing the seafood processing industry in Nghe An, through a survey, our fish sauce mainly serves the mountainous market and is not yet popular in urban and plain areas. The reason is that "traditional" products are too "loyal" to tradition. Processing technology and designs are slow to change, not grasping the tastes of consumers. Products are mainly produced by households, so the quality is unstable, and the level of food hygiene and safety has not been checked.

Nghe An has 2 seafood processing factories for export, Nghe An Seafood Import-Export Joint Stock Company and Nghe An Seafood Import-Export Joint Stock Company 2. The processing capacity of the 2 factories is from 13-16 tons of products/day, exporting to demanding markets such as Japan, EU, USA... Currently, Nghe An Import-Export Joint Stock Company has stopped operating, while the production line of Nghe An Import-Export Company 2 is operating at a standstill, only producing processed goods for large export establishments. In 2012, the unit tried to overcome difficulties in capital to maintain operations, producing 450 tons of products, with revenue of about 60 billion VND. Currently, the unit has only borrowed 3 billion VND from the bank on a need of tens of billions of VND. Lacking capital, the unit can only operate at a standstill to maintain its existence, unable to develop.

Every year, the whole province processes about 2,200 tons of dried goods, with the main product being various types of steamed and dried fish, serving small-scale exports and domestic consumption. The processing of dried goods depends on the weather, and is mostly done by hand. The monotonous products only stop at the raw material processing stage, and the quality of food hygiene and safety is not controlled. The output also depends on foreign partners.

In recent years, the movement to build freezing areas has developed. The whole province currently has 108 warehouses, with a capacity of more than 16,000 tons of fish that are pre-processed, frozen, and stored in cold storage. This is a form of fish storage for sale when the market is scarce. Processing to create added value is very little.

Looking at the main products and seafood processing industry products of Nghe An, we can see a gloomy picture, not bringing high efficiency.

In order for the province's seafood processing industry to develop strongly, it is necessary to build a development strategy based on market demand, first of all domestic demand. Apply scientific and technical advances, bring science and technology to replace traditional manual processing methods; diversify processed products to meet consumer demand. The State needs to have policies and mechanisms to stimulate and create conditions for this industry to develop sustainably.

Cong Sang