July 21, 2010

Vietnam's tra fish exports hike

Tra fish exports rise as more Vietnamese seafood producers are getting international quality certificates to attract major markets including the US, the EU, Japan, according to VASEP.

Vinh Hoan Corp, Vietnam's biggest tra fish exporter, has recently received the Good Agricultural Practice or Global Gap by Bureau Veritas Certification (BVC) for its 40-hectare fish farm in Dong Thap Province. Vinh Hoan is the latest tra exporter to receive the certificate since NTC A Corp with its 20-hectare farm and the giant shrimp exporter Minh Phu Corp were certified.

The head of Vinh Hoan said the company expected to raise the average value of its tra fish by 10-20% and build its quality export capacity. After receiving the Global Gap certificate, Vinh Hoan signed a contract to provide 120 tonnes of tra fish to an EU customer.

"Tra fish exporters have shifted from buying fish from farmers to growing the fish themselves, as it's easier to build a quality control system like Global Gap," said chairman of the Fresh Water Fish Committee under VASEP, Ngo Phuoc Hau.

Vietnamese tra fish and shrimps exporters had faced numerous temporary embargoes from Russia and the US in the past because of microorganism contamination or an excess of antibiotics in the product. As a result, growing numbers of Vietnamese producers and exporters in Mekong Delta have been applying for quality certificates such as Eu-roGap, GlobalGap, HACCP to meet higher quality requirements.

"Obtaining the quality certificate is just the beginning. In the long-term, exporters have to set up a systematic sales strategy about brand-building, marketing and distribution, to build brand names for seafood products. That's the sustainable way for export," he said.

The GlobalGAP certificate is designed to ensure that each step in food preparation is completed with regard for the health and safety of workers, the environment and animal welfare issues.

The government recently predicted that tra fish would continue to be a key export product, and approved a project to develop fish production and sales in Mekong Delta till 2020.

The government will invest VND800 billion (US$42 million) in the project. This year the total output is also expected to increase to 1.5 million tonnes, valued at US$1.5 billion.

In H1 2010, Vietnam seafood processors exported US$1.83 billion, up 18.5% compared to last year. The Ministry of Industry and Trade expects total seafood exports in 2010 to reach US$4.7 billion, up 6.8% from last year.