The target USD 4.5 billion of Vietnamese seafood export turnover this year is hardly to achieve, as forecast, the deficit amount will be around USD 500 million due to the new technical barrier of China market together with the effect of economic recession has caused the falling of consumption power. Luong Le Phuong, deputy minister of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has released this information at the press conference about Vietnam Fisheries International Exhibition 2009.
It is told that in May 2009, seafood exports continued to witness the negative growth as happened in April with the decrease of 2 digits, nearly 13 percent. Total seafood export turnover in the first 5 months reached over USD 1.2 billion, fell over 10 percent against the same time last year. Luong Le Phuong opined that a lot of seafood products such as: frozen shrimp, sea fishes, pangasius experienced negative growth, then in May the decrease kept raising with stronger level in the coming months.
It is mentioned that shrimp exports for instant, exports of this item in April reached over USD 94 million, down 8.5 percent against the same period last year, then in May the decrease was up to 10 percent. Truong Dinh Hoe, general secretary of VASEP said, global economic recession has caused the significant decrease of seafood demand, especially high class seafood products such as: shrimp, tuna and squid.
The effects is so intense that farmers left their ponds idle as the result of the overproduction crisis last year has caused the exports of seafood becomes worse. According to Truong Dinh Hoe, currently, together with decrease of seafood consumption, price of this item in most markets also tend to be down. One kilo of pangasius fillet which was sold in EU market with price over USD 3.0 but now it is down to USD 2.60 – 2.80.
