Vietnam's seafood industry is expected to export more than 500,000 tonnes of tra catfish and 200,000 tonnes of shrimp aiming to reach export value of US$4.5 billion for 2010.

 

Truong Dinh Hoe, general secretary of the Viet Nam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers, said in the first four months, domestic seafood exports reached US$1.27 billion, an increase of 20.1% against on-year.

 

Frozen shrimp exports reached the highest value of more than US$426 million, an increase of 29.5% compared with the same period last year. Tra and basa catfish exports ranked second with an increase of 12.3%.

 

Up to April this year, Vietnam's seafood products were present in 163 markets with more than 85 different types. The EU is the top importer of Vietnamese seafood at US$317 million, followed by the US with 13,000 tonnes worth more than US$40 million.

 

Seafood enterprises will be looking for new partners when the largest fisheries exhibition in Southeast Asia (VIETFISH 2010) opens in Ho Chi Minh City from June 12-14.

 

Speaking at a press conference yesterday in Ho Chi Minh City, organisers of AsiaViet Nam Fisheries International Exhibition 2010 said this would be the 12th exhibition to promote Vietnam's seafood industry to the world.