December 29, 2014

Vietnam eyes US$8.5 billion in seafood exports in 2015

Vietnam seeks to export US$8.5 billion worth of seafood in 2015, 10.7% more than it did this year, according to Vu Van Tam, deputy minister of agriculture and rural development.

Tam disclosed the export target while he was in Hanoi recently attending a conference to review the seafood sector's plans for next year.

To achieve the ambitious goal, the country intends to raise 2015's seafood production to 6.65 million tonnes, a 5.5% rise year-on-year.

He called on players in the seafood industry to prevent any disease threat in its aquatic farms with the use of antibiotics.

Despite adverse weather conditions, disease outbreaks and trade barriers, Vietnam's seafood production this year reached about 6.3 million tonnes, up 4.4% over that of 2013.

He said the country expects to earn a record US$7.92 billion from seafood exports next year, up 18% year-on-year and 11.6% past the original target for 2014.