Addressing a seminar held in Can Tho last Friday, he said exporters and aquaculturists should not focus on quantity so much as quality. Most catfish farms and export companies are based in the Mekong Delta.

Mr Phat said the quality of the catfish must be closely monitored at all stages of production – creating strains, breeding, harvesting and processing.

His ministry would regularly inspect quality and export prices of tra, Mr Phat said, adding that any companies violating regulations would be severely punished.

The agency is also planning to set up a task force to prevent dubious practices in breeding, processing and export.

Mr Phat’s deputy Luong Le Phuong said the sector should be asked to follow certain norms in order to ensure the growth of tra exports. For instance, people should only be permitted to breed the fish when they have adequate capital and know-how and in areas zoned for fish farming to prevent scattered, small-scale production, he said.

Companies should only be allowed to export tra if their products meet quality standards, Phuong said.

Establishing a steering committee for catfish export to Russia last year was a good idea since it helped closely monitor quantity, quality and delivery time.

This model should be expanded to other markets and applied to the US market this year because it is large and offers high prices, Phuong said.