June 19, 2010
Vietnam earns US$143 million in Jan-May mollusk exports
Vietnam's mollusks exports of 38,000 tonnes amounted to US$143 million in the first five months of 2010, the General Department of Customs said.
Local firms expected to boost exports of the products in the coming months, particularly to the US, thanks to a soaring demand after the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, said the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP).
These firms, however, are facing a shortage of mollusk materials for processing caused by complicated regulations and quarantines on imported seafood, the association added.
VASEP called on the government to cut import tariff on mollusk to 0% from current 10% and 20% while simplifying procedures to facilitate the firms' business.
