Pangasius is a fresh water fish raised in the flowing waters of Mekong Delta, Vietnam. It belongs to the family of catfish with more than 20 different species native in the Mekong River. It is called Pangasiidae or “Shark catfish” because of its sharp dorsal fins.
The Pangasius business started with the farming of Pangasius bocourti called “basa” in Vietnamese and then followed with the farming of Pangasius hypophthalmus called “tra”. The latter now represents more than 98% of the pangasius export. In 2008, the Pangasius production in Vietnam reaches 1,200,000 MT.