August 6, 2008

Vietnam emerges as Russia's fourth largest seafood exporter

Vietnam has become the fourth largest seafood exporter to Russia, behind Norway, China and Denmark, the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) said.

Russia imported US$1.7-billion worth of seafood in 2007, up 44 percent from 2006, according to Russian Customs Department.

Of the total, Vietnam exported around US$113.8 million, only US$1 million lower than Denmark.

In the first six months of 2008, Vietnam has fetched up to US$90 million from seafood exports to Russia, up 35 percent on-year.

The VASEP said that besides the authorized agencies' efforts to remove difficulties for producers and exporters, the signing of a cooperation agreement between VASEP and the Russian Association of Seafood Traders and Processors has boosted exports.

The recent agreement promotes Vietnam-Russia cooperation in controlling and supervising product quality based on international standards, assists businesses of the two countries to make direct contracts and update a list of Russian importers that wish to contract with Vietnamese exporters.