Abundant freshwater fish supply for Tet

In the days leading up to Lunar New Year (Tet) of the Horse 2026, the demand for aquatic products, especially fish and shrimp, increases significantly compared to other times of the year. Accordingly, aquaculture farmers in the province are focusing on investing in the year-end farming season. Specialty items such as: hemibagrus, crispy carp, spiny eel... are quite popular.

Floating fish farming area in Phu Hoa commune, Dong Nai province. Photo: Binh Nguyen

At this time, freshwater fish ponds and floating cages have an abundant supply. On the other hand, at the end of this year, the purchasing power is slower than in previous years, so the prices of many freshwater fish products have cooled down. Freshwater fish farmers are anxiously waiting for the market to enter its peak season, hoping for a bumper harvest with good prices.

A diverse range of freshwater fish specialties

Dong Nai has a strong advantage in developing aquaculture with a total farming area of nearly 9,900 hectares of ponds and lakes. Of which, nearly 8,300 hectares are used for freshwater aquaculture; and nearly 1,600 hectares are earmarked for brackish water aquaculture. In addition, the entire province has 20 lakes used for aquaculture and fisheries harvesting with a total area of nearly 51,500 hectares. Cage and raft aquaculture on rivers and lakes has quite developed, with nearly 1,300 rafts and more than 5,200 cages, contributing to diversifying freshwater and brackish water aquaculture products supplied to the market.

For the year-end farming season, aquaculture farmers focus on high-value specialty species to meet the demand for year-end and New Year parties. Nguyen Ngoc Thanh, owner of Phu Dien Fish aquaculture farm (Phu Hoa commune) said: For the Tet fish season, the facility increased farming of many high-economic-value specialty fish species such as: Deo fish, yellow hemibagrus, labeo rohita, spiny eel, eel, black-spotted catfish… As Tet is approaching, the demand for these specialty products increases significantly for year-end and New Year celebrations as well as for gift-giving. The prices of specialty fish species usually increase more than at other times of the year. The facility increases the production of high-priced specialty fish species.

Tong Van Sy, a floating cage fish farmer in Tran Bien ward, said: Specialty fish species often yield high economic value. Especially during holidays and Tet, the demand for specialty fish often increases, so many facilities increase the production and species of specialty fish. This Tet season, in addition to familiar fish species such as: crispy carp, Hemibagrus, spiny eel, the farm also raises a new specialty, the pearl string fish. Currently, this type of fish retails at about 180,000 VND/kg.

According to freshwater fish farmers in the province, usually in the days leading up to Tet, the prices of many freshwater fish specialties increase significantly. This year, due to slower purchasing power compared to previous years, many species of freshwater fish specialties have hardly fluctuated. Catfish prices are about 70,000 VND/kg; hemibagrus from 75,000-80,000 VND/kg, crispy carp 120,000 VND/kg... nearly half the prices compared to the same period last year.

Due to unfavorable weather conditions, brackish water shrimp farming faced difficulties, and supply was limited, while market demand was high. From the last months of 2025 until now, shrimp prices have increased significantly compared to the same period last year. Currently, white-legged shrimp prices range from 160,000-240,000 VND/kg depending on sizes. It is forecast that this product is still on an upward trend. With these prices, shrimp farmers have achieved high profits.

Director of Thanh Cong Aquatic Products Service and Trade Cooperative, Nguyen Huy Binh (Phuoc An commune)

Large supply waiting for buyers

Currently, the output of freshwater fish waiting to be harvested is very large. The supply is abundant while the market's purchasing power is much lower than the same period last year, so the prices of freshwater fish are stable at a low level.

According to some freshwater fish farming households in the province, at the time of stocking fingerlings for the 2026 Tet season, many freshwater fish species had high prices, and farmers boldly increased production with the expectation of a successful Tet fish farming season. The supply of freshwater fish for the market this Tet season increased compared to the same period in previous years. Meanwhile, the market's purchasing power is currently only about 50% compared to the same period last year. Supply exceeding demand is keeping the prices of many freshwater fish at low levels.

Specifically, the prices of carp, tilapia, perch, etc., are fluctuating at 45,000-50,000 VND/kg, which is dozens of thousands of VND/kg lower than the same period last year. Nguyen Van Den, a raft fish farmer in Suoi Tuong hamlet, Tri An commune, worried: The prices of all farmed fish have uniformly decreased. Despite low fish prices, traders are still buying sporadically. Previously, traders would buy an entire raft at once; this time, they are buying in small quantities over several batches.

Sharing the same concern, Nguyen Hong Vy, a raft fish farmer in Tran Bien ward, said: For this Tet season, the farm has more than 30 raft cages, with an average harvest of 5-7 tons of carp and catfish per cage. Fish prices are much lower than the same period, while feed prices and many other costs have increased. The profit margin for fish farmers has shrunk, or there is no profit at all. Fish prices are low, but the consumption market remains sluggish, and fish farmers are anxiously waiting for purchasing power to increase during the peak Tet market.

Vu Dinh Dam, Director of Lang Be Ecological Tourism Fisheries Cooperative (Tran Bien ward), commented: For this Tet season, this area alone has more than 100 rafts. It is expected that for the 2026 Tet season, this raft village will supply more than 1,000 tons of commercial fish to the market. The quantity of fish supplied to the market is similar to previous years, but purchasing power is slow, so the amount of fish waiting to be harvested on the rafts is higher than the same period last year. Up to now, the market has entered the peak season for Tet fish consumption, but purchasing power is still quite slow. Fish farmers are eagerly waiting for purchasing power to increase.

The market for ornamental fish for the 2026 Tet focuses most on Koi fish, which are popular in the market. This product is sold by kilogram depending on the type, with prices ranging from 300,000-700,000 VND/kg, similar to the same period last year. For special fish, the selling prices are calculated per fish, with prices ranging from several hundred thousand to several million VND/fish.

By Binh Nguyen – Translated by Mai Nga, Thu Ha