A fish sauce production facility in Phú Quốc. A fish sauce festival will take place from June 27–29, celebrating the island's centuries-old craft with the theme “Essence of the Pearl Island”. — VNA/VNS Photo Thanh Vũ

PHÚ QUỐC — The inaugural Phú Quốc fish sauce festival will take place from June 27–29, celebrating the island's centuries-old craft with the theme “Essence of the Pearl Island”.

The information was released at a press conference held in Phú Quốc island city, the southern province of Kiên Giang on Wednesday by the Vietnam Association of Fish Sauce and the Phú Quốc Fish Sauce Producers’ Association.

Chairman of the city People's Committee Trần Minh Khoa emphasised that the festival would mark a significant milestone in promoting the brand, value, and legacy of traditional fish sauce – a product deeply rooted in the island’s identity and history spanning over 200 years.

The festival will feature a range of activities, including a conference on the 10-year journey of managing and using the Phú Quốc geographical indication fish sauce, an exhibition of local specialties and One Commune One Product (OCOP) items, culinary competitions, folk games, and cultural exchanges.

According to President of the Vietnam Association of Fish Sauce Hồ Kim Liên, in the last 25 years, the Phu Quoc Fish Sauce Producers’ Association has made contributions to promote Phú Quốc fish sauce domestically and globally. Phú Quốc fish sauce became Việt Nam’s first product to receive EU geographical indication recognition in 2012.

In 2021, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism recognised Phú Quốc traditional fish sauce making as a national intangible cultural heritage.

Currently, Phú Quốc is home to over 50 fish sauce production facilities with some 7,000 fermentation barrels, producing up to 20 million litres each year. — VNS