New Delhi, Oct. 18 -- A relatively inexpensive fish from Vietnam is finding its way onto more Indian plates. Basa, also known as Pangasius, is gaining favour with restaurants, hotels and caterers for its affordable fillets and versatility for use in several cuisines, including Indian ones.

With imports from the farms of Vietnam on the rise, the freshwater fish is making inroads into India's market, potentially challenging the local producers. While the frozen Vietnamese basa price ranges from Rs.170 to Rs.400 per kg in India's wholesale and retail trade, the Indian variety comes for Rs.250-600 kg in retail. According to importers, Indian basa is pricier than the Vietnamese one mainly on gaps in farming output, production costs and econom...