The Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (Vasep)has claimed that it has been approached by German wholesaler Metro Cash & Carry about distributing a significant share of its catfish output.
Metro Cash & Carry general manager Thomas M. Huebner met with Vasep late last week to discuss the issue, Vasep chairwoman Nguyen Thi Hong Minh is quoted as saying by the Saigon Times.
Local producers claim that Metro is planning to buy up approximately one third of Vietnam’s output of catfish, although this has not been confirmed by official sources.
Known locally as basa, catfish is a major part of the Vietnamese fish and seafood sector. It is currently under pressure from punitive fines imposed on catfish imports into the US, its largest buying country (members can find out more about this by clicking here).
