February 28, 2005

Vietnam's seafood exports rise 13.6 percent in February

Vietnam's seafood exports in February rose 13.6 percent over the same period last year to US$180 million, bringing the two-month export turnover to US$324 million.

Frozen shrimp, fish, cuttle-fish and octopus are some of the major items exported overseas, according to the Fisheries Ministry.

The Ministry has instructed provinces and cities to boost seafood exports from the beginning of this year to obtain an export turnover of US$2.6 billion for 2005.

In an effort to reach the target, An Giang province in the Mekong Delta has been coordinating with the Binca Seafood Company (BSC) of Germany to implement a pilot project to raise disease-free tra and basa catfish since July last year.

According to Nguyen Huu Khanh, Chairman of the An Giang Seafood Producers and Processors Association (AFA), the project has brought about initial results, with profits amounting to 15-20 percent.

The BSC has also signed a contract to raise such tra and basa catfish on 40,000 sq.m of water surface in Phu Tan district and Long Xuyen city and sell 600 tonnes of disease-free tra and basa catfish by July this year.

It has supplied fry, farming techniques and feeds while the Institute for Marketability will make regular inspections to ensure the quality of the fish.