January 31, 2005

Vietnamese seafood exports reach $150 million in January

Vietnam's seafood exports increased by 19.8 per cent in January compared with the same period in 2004.

The fishing industry saw added growth due to the avian flu outbreak and the Tet (lunar new year) holiday, both of which boosted domestic demand by 20 per cent over last December, reported the Ministry of Fisheries on Wednesday.

Although Vietnam exported only six per cent of the ministry's annual seafood export target in January, or US$150 million, the ministry was confident of reaching its $2.6 billion goal by the end of this year.

Minister of Fisheries Nguyen Thi Hong Minh said her office will increase its export efforts throughout the year in order to meet the target, while also making every effort to ensure that Vietnamese products meet international hygiene standards.

The Fisheries Ministry has also vowed to further promote trademarks for key Vietnamese exports like basa catfish. Following a recent seminar in southern An Giang Province, the ministry selected "Top Quality Pangasius from Vietnam" as the trademark for quality Vietnamese basa and tra catfish.

A committee on the production and sales of basa catfish will meet next month in the Cuu Long (Mekong) River Delta, the ministry said.

Last year, seafood was Vietnam's 4th largest export, bringing in $2.36 billion from products such as shrimp and fish. The United States is Vietnam's largest market, followed by the European Union, China and Hong Kong.

Minh cited an increasing demand for Vietnamese seafood at the northern border gate of Mong Cai in Quang Ninh Province, where raw seafood can be sold to Chinese importers at 50,000 yuan ($6,000) per ton. But local suppliers have been unable to meet the demand from China due to a long cold spell and prolonged drought, both of which have substantially reduced the industry's output.

In January, the industry reported a total catch of 142,000 tons of seafood, a marginal increase of 0.35 per cent against the same period last year. Aquatic cultivation yielded 125,000 tons, a 4.6 per cent increase, the ministry said.