Experts believe that a suitable management mechanism must be put into place to bring forth these favorable conditions and achieve seafood sustainable development in Vietnam. According to the Vietnam Association and Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), Vietnam has exported 166,695 tonnes of seafood in the first quarter of 2009, gaining US$579.2 million in total export value, down more than eight percent in both volume and value compared to that in the same period of 2008.
VASEP expects that the export of seafood will face a lot of difficulties in the forthcoming months. The 2008 Agricultural Law of the US will badly affect Vietnam’s export of Tra and Basa fish in the coming time. VASEP opined that 2009 is going to be another difficult year for Vietnam’s shrimp export as there is decreased in the consumption in most import markets, lowered US dollar value, and businesses’ struggled operation due to the lack of raw materials and investment capital.
VASEP’s permanent deputy chairman Nguyen Huu Dung explained that despite facing some difficulties Vietnam’s export of Tra and Basa fish has certain advantages thanks to stable quality and competitive prices. It is told that the Tra Fish Export Steering Committee gone to Russia in March to sign contract for Tra re-export to Russia. Of 30 businesses that can export Tra fish to Russia 10 businesses are Tra fish exporters, and the remaining 20 businesses are dried seafood exporters.
The committee’s head Duong Ngoc Minh informed that Vietnam’s seafood export to Russia can reach US$500 million per year. It is expected that Russia will potentially become Vietnam’s largest seafood export market, but not Japan, the US or the EU. The Prime Minister also approved with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on the establishment of a steering committee to stimulate Tra fish production and consumption, thus turning it into one of the country’s major export earners.
