Workers process tuna at a factory (Source: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) – The export of marine products is expected torise by 17 percent to 3.5 billion USD this year despite likely hurdles,according to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP).
According to Nguyen Thi Thu Sac, Vice Chairwoman of VASEP and head of itsmarine products committee, tuna exports still have room to grow thanks toimported raw fish and Vietnam’s trade agreements with a number of countries.
Tuna exports are forecast to top 1 billion USD this year, 350 million USDhigher than last year, she said.
Exports of other fish, squid, octopus and other seafood products are likely tobe steady or increase slightly, she said.
Referring to markets, she said shipments to Japan are expected to jump by 27percent to 900 million USD, with exporters focusing on marine fish, surimi andvalue-added products.
Exports to the Republic of Korea are also expected to rise by 27 percent to 600million USD as exporters take advantage of the free trade agreement with thecountry to boost shipments of all kinds of products, especially squid, octopusand crab, she said.
Firms would boost exports of tuna and other fish as well as squid, octopus andcrab to the US by an expected 10 percent to 480 million USD, she said.
Last year, exports to the EU fell by 4-20 percent, except for tuna, whoseshipments increased by 11.5 percent, but even that growth halved from 2017 dueto the impact of the yellow card, she said.
The sector is working to get the yellow card warning lifted this year, sheadded.
Exports to Southeast Asia are expected to reach 480 million USD, up 18 percent,with a focus on exports of tuna, octopus and other species, the associationsaid.
The association called on exporters to more actively to expand their markets,especially those having free trade agreements with Vietnam, and enhance thevalue of exports with value-added products.
They also need to enhance cooperation with fishermen for improving the qualityof products, it said.
Due to insufficient raw material supply in the domestic market, enterprisesimport from other countries for processing for export, she said.
Last year, imports were worth 1.25 billion USD, 34 percent higher than in 2017and accounting for 73 percent of total seafood imports.-VNS/VNA
VNA
