October 2, 2007

Vietnam's January-September seafood exports to reach US$2.73 billion

Vietnam's seafood exports are estimated to reach $2.731 billion in the first nine months of 2007, a rise of 13.4 percent on-year, according to latest report provided by the General Statistic Office (GSO).

The report said in September alone, the country shipped US$370 million worth of seafood, equal to the amount it earned the previous month.

The Vietnamese fisheries industry is currently undergoing an annual inspection by the European Union. The inspection includes checking application of hygiene standards at breeding farms, fishing vessels, fish ports, processing plants, freezing storages and suppliers, from September 27 to October 10.

The fisheries industry has already experienced three inspection tours by the Russian Federal Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance Services (VPSS) since the beginning of this year.

Vietnam, the world's seventh biggest seafood exporter, is expected to rake in US$3.6 billion from seafood exports this year, up from US$3.3 billion in 2006.

Presently, 350 Vietnamese enterprises are eligible to ship seafood to five large markets, comprising EU, Russia, Japan, South Korea and China, in which EU allowed 245 enterprises; Russia 13 enterprises; and South Korea, 323.

In September, Vietnam produced nearly VND3.1 trillion worth of seafood products, bringing the total in the January-September period to VND33.5 trillion or nearly US$2.1 billion, up 9.6 percent on year, reports the GSO.