February 28, 2013

 

EU increases imports of Vietnamese tra

 

 

After a long period of low demand, EU countries are gradually ordering greater amounts of Vietnamese pangasius.

 

The Vietnam Association for Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) stated.

 

General Secretary Truong Dinh Hoe said that the EU has been one of the main importers of Vietnamese tra, largely because of the product's relatively low export price compared to that of seafood produced in other countries. Further, the export price of Vietnamese catfish to the EU has been growing along with consumer demand, as more and more Vietnamese seafood exporters have been able to satisfy EU standards for farmed tra in the past few years.

 

Five more domestic tra producers and processors recently received the Aquaculture Stewardship Council's (ASC) certification, bringing the number of ASC-certified Vietnamese firms to 13. These tra producers or breeders must meet certain criteria in the way they operate on land and water -- such as using land and water responsibly and minimising water pollution -- and in how they treat their workers.

 

Vietnam exported US$425 million worth of pangasius to the EU in 2012, representing a drop of 19% against 2011, according to VASEP, VNS reports.

 

In January 2013, Vietnam earned over US$163.2 million from tra exports, up 40.7% on-year. Exports climbed to most markets in the top 10, except Colombia with decline of 0.8%.

 

The EU was the leading market with US$37.2 million, up 17.4% and accounted for 22.8% of the market. The US followed with US$26.7 million, up 31.3% and representing 16.3% of sales.

 

Next came Brazil with US$13.3 million, up 86.7% and taking up 8.1% of the market. Mexico imported US$13 million worth of tra in January 2013, up 2% and representing 8% of sales, followed by Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries with US$11.3 million, up 82.2% and taking up 6.9% of the market.

 

China and Hong Kong came next with US$7.4 million, up 108.2% and taking up 4.5% of sales, and Colombia with US$6.4 million, down 0.8% and representing 3.9% of the market.

 

Hoe said that both VASEP and local seafood exporters were heavily marketing tra exports to the EU. Further, the association has vowed to work with ministries and other sectors to organise seminars promoting Vietnamese tra at large trade fairs throughout Europe.

 

"The adverts will include information about products as well as the production process, from raising the fish to packaging the finished products for export," he added.

 

Meanwhile, this year the pangasius industry will stop increasing production and farming areas, according to Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Ministry (MARD) Vu Van Tam.