Vietnam exported around US$350 million worth of seafood in April, raising the total export revenues in the first four months this year to more than US$1.2 billion, up 17.4% on-year, said the Department of Fisheries under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

The department said that during the period exports of tra and basa fish and shrimp rose 15.6% and 11.7%, respectively. Of the revenues, export to EU made up 25.7%, to Japan 17.3% and to the US 16%, according to reports on Friday (May 7).

The Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers forecast that the country will reap around US$1.5 billion from exports of tra and basa fish, US$1.4 billion from prawn shrimp and US$500 million from white-leg shrimp.

On another note, serious shortage of prawn shrimp for processing and export forced local firms to boost the purchase of white-leg shrimp, sending prices of the product rocketing to VND60,000 (US$3.16)/kg in Vietnam, a record high over the past three years, the association said.