February 16, 2011

Vietnam's seafood exports set to boost

Vietnamese exports of cuttlefish, squid and shellfish are expected to swell this year as part of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development's programme to diversify the nation's aquaculture exports.

Over 120,000 tonnes of shellfish were exported in 2010, earning US$489 million and accounting for 9.7% of seafood exports, according the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP). Of the total, 100,000 tonnes were unprocessed, accounting for US$400 million, or 82% of the total export value.

VASEP's Nguyen Minh Tam attributed the result to the increased efforts by exporters to expand export markets from such traditional customers as the EU and the US to new markets in the Middle East. Vietnamese cuttlefish, squid and shellfish are now exported to 80 markets around the world.

Technical barriers, such as stricter food safety and hygiene requirements, pose challenges to continued growth in exports, however.