Efforts underway to boost seafood exports

Preparing catfish for export

At an October meeting with Vietnam trade offices abroad, Nguyen Hoai Nam, Deputy General Secretary of the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), said seafood exports have gradually recovered over the past several months after three quarters of sharp decline. Cod, mackerel, pomfret, snakehead and catfish exports grew well.

The VASEP representative said the shrimp sector is struggling because no solution has been found to the translucent post-larvae disease, which together with conventional diseases are causing the survival rate of shrimp to decrease and shrimp prices to increase.

Phan Thi Thu Cuc, Deputy Director of the Khanh Hoa Provincial Department of Industry and Trade, said overcoming the IUU yellow card through stricter management of offshore fishing vessels, as well as high fuel prices are causing localities’ seafood exports to face many difficulties. “We want Vietnamese trade counselors abroad to help us connect with importers,” Cuc said.

Duong Vu Nam, Deputy Director of the Ca Mau Provincial Department of Industry and Trade, said Ca Mau is not only facing difficulties in shrimp export but also the export of other products.

Do Ngoc Hung, Trade Counselor, Vietnam Trade Office in the US, said the US’s inventories are decreasing, and the increasing demand for goods by the yearend will offer opportunities for seafood exporters. However, the US applies strict technical barriers, regulations on quarantine, farming environment, origin labels, and strict protection policies. Therefore, Vietnamese businesses need to thoroughly research the market, limit price competition, strictly control the quality of export shipments, regularly participate in seafood trade fairs, and increase highly processed products if they are to promote exports to this market.

Tran Ngoc Quan, Trade Counselor, Vietnam Trade Office in Belgium and the EU, said the EU is expected to further increase its seafood imports in the remaining months of 2023, probably to the 2022 amount.

An October trade promotion meeting with Vietnam trade offices abroad - photo: Can Dung

In October, the European Commission (EC) inspection team came to Vietnam to see the country’s efforts to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, and they highly rated the Vietnamese Government's efforts in this field, Quan said. However, there remain some problems. The EU has issued a warning that if the problems are not solved in the near future, Vietnam's seafood exports to this market will face dangers and even be restricted.

Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Do Thang Hai proposed that Vietnam trade offices abroad provide Vietnamese businesses and business associations with the quickest and latest information about foreign markets and help the Ministry of Industry and Trade ensure businesses’ interests.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade’s Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency (VIETRADE) will further strengthen market diversification to help businesses boost exports.

The Deputy Minister proposed that VASEP help businesses adjust their business strategies in compliance with the actual development demands.