White Pla Nin Fish Fetch 10,000 Riel Per Kilogram Amid Stagnant Farming

The price of White Pla Nin fish, commonly farmed by households in Cambodia, has seen a slight increase compared to last year, fetching 10,000 riel (approximately $2.50 USD) per kilogram. Chan Nee, a resident of Battambang province, is preparing to harvest Pla Nin fish after more than five months of cultivation. She has already received partial advance payments from market middlemen. According to Chan Nee, this year's selling price for Pla Nin fish has reached 10,000 riel per kilogram, an increase from 8,000 riel during the same period last year. For Chan Nee, raising Pla Nin fish is not her primary occupation. It is a supplementary household activity alongside cultivating various vegetables such as cucumbers, chili peppers, eggplants, bananas, and raising chickens, serving as a source of income to cover her children's education and family expenses. Utilizing her existing pond, she aims to generate additional income. She purchased 500 fingerlings and raises them for five to six months before harvesting. Meanwhile, Chhuong Sophea, Director of the Battambang Provincial Department of Fisheries Administration, noted that there has been no significant increase in the scale of Pla Nin fish farming over the past two years. The market price has remained between 8,000 and 10,000 riel per kilogram. Sophea suggested that the price surge for white fish from Tonle Sap Lake, following intensified crackdowns on illegal fishing, might be contributing to the price of home-farmed Pla Nin fish. However, he indicated that the farming scale itself has not grown, leading to the current market prices.