January 5, 2007
Vietnam seafood industry to face tougher challenges in 2007
Vietnam Deputy Minister of Fisheries Nguyen Thi Hong Minh has expressed both optimism and cynicism on the performance on the seafood industry this year.
With its good run on the international market in 2006, Minh told Vietnam Net Bridge the seafood sector will try to seize more opportunities on the international market with its increasing global demand in the recent years particularly on black tiger prawns.
But for the industry to corner a significant chunk on the world market, Minh said Vietnamese seafood exporters must immediately address solutions such as safety and hygiene which is currently plaguing the industry.
He particularly noted the increase in value of seafood business gave way to the haphazard establishment of seafood processing plants that do not comply with the sanitation standards.
The deputy minister added that more than profits, Vietnamese seafood entrepreneurs should also take into account high-grade products for the industry's sustainable development rather than just expanded production.
Minh said Vietnam should comply with its stricter Japanese regulations as it is the country's third largest market, next to US and the European Union.
Japan has earlier considered banning all Vietnamese seafood exports that threatened the industry's viability on the global market. Minh stressed that exporters should have learned the lesson by now, stating that seafood processing should commence with safe sourcing of raw materials.
To avoid such situations, the Fisheries Ministry will assist communities through task forces to control and supervise seafood sanitation during processing. It will also help improve countryside infrastructure and develop high-scale production.
Minh said the country should have an open and more transparent investment climate, access to foreign capital and use advanced technologies and expertise in order to be more competitive with its accession to the
