The Grass Carp, also known as White Amur (Ctenopharyngodon idella), is a large, herbivorous freshwater fish native to East Asia, particularly the Amur River basin. Renowned for its rapid growth and voracious appetite for aquatic vegetation, the Grass Carp has become a cornerstone of freshwater aquaculture worldwide. China overwhelmingly leads global production, accounting for the vast majority of both wild capture and aquaculture harvests, as Grass Carp is a staple in Chinese cuisine and an important export commodity. Other significant producers include countries in Southeast Asia such as Vietnam, India, and Bangladesh, where the species is farmed extensively for food and for use in aquatic weed control. While wild capture exists, the bulk of Grass Carp production comes from managed aquaculture systems, making it one of the world’s most harvested freshwater fish species.
Rank | Country | Metric Tons |
---|---|---|
1 | Egypt | 11,000 |
2 | Iran (Islamic Republic of) | 8,010 |
3 | Uzbekistan | 4,069 |
4 | Indonesia | 605 |
5 | Russian Federation | 343 |
6 | Tajikistan | 280 |
7 | Hungary | 227 |
8 | Czechia | 125 |
9 | Ukraine | 107 |
10 | United States of America | 66 |
11 | Slovakia | 65 |
12 | Albania | 44 |
13 | Kazakhstan | 24 |
14 | Malaysia | 22 |
15 | Serbia | 20 |
16 | Croatia | 15 |
17 | Romania | 6 |
18 | Bulgaria | 2 |
18 | Taiwan Province of China | 2 |
20 | Slovenia | 1 |
Data from FAO. 2025. Global Capture Production. In: Fisheries and Aquaculture.