Vietnam pangasius industry explores converting sludge into organic fertilizer

The pangasius processing industry in Vietnam's Mekong Delta is exploring circular economy solutions to transform environmental waste into valuable resources. As export values for pangasius reached $1.1 billion in the first half of 2026—a 12% increase—the volume of wastewater and sludge generated by processing plants has also grown significantly.

WWF-Vietnam and the Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Strategy and Policy suggest that instead of treating sludge as a costly waste product, companies can repurpose it into three main product streams: biogas for fuel or electricity, biochar for water treatment and soil improvement, and organic fertilizer to restore degraded soil and increase crop yields.

Implementing these solutions offers businesses three primary advantages: generating new revenue from recycled secondary products, reducing waste treatment costs, and improving corporate green credit scores.