August 18, 2005

Vietnamese seafood exports fall short of China's demand        

Vietnamese seafood exports have fallen short of China's rising demand for certain kinds of seafood in recent days, meeting only 60 percent of it, according to reports.

Recently, Vietnam exported 20 tonnes of dried processed seafood and fresh two-shell mollusks to China, while Chinese enterprises had placed a total order of 30 tonnes. Sales of Vietnamese dried squids, frozen shrimps, frozen catfish and fresh mollusks were high in China.

Vietnam has been focusing on improving quality of processed items and preservation, building distribution networks in China, and updating market information, in an effort to increase seafood exports to the neighbouring country.

From January to May this year, Vietnamese seafood export value to China registered a US$22.7 million, or 29.5 percent year-on-year increase.

Vietnam planned to export US$75 million worth of seafood to China this year, up from US$48 million the previous year.