Asean increase seafood imports from Vietnam

Last year, while sea food exports to traditional market such as USA, Japan and EU decline, ASEAN increase seafood imports from Vietnam, and this trend is expected to continue this year.

Fishermen in Phu Yen unload fish from boat to port.

According to Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), in 2015 the total national value of seafood exports reached $6.57 billion, decrease by more than 16% compared to the same period of 2014. This comes from the fact that the major export markets such as USA, Japan, EU declined.

Specifically, the value of seafood exports to the US, EU, Japan is more than $1.32 billion, $1.175 billion, $1 billion, went down by more than 24%, 18%, 14% respectively compared to 2014’s figures.

Other Asian markets such as Korea, Taiwan, China is expected to be new market with the strongest growth in the past few years but seafood imports value from Vietnam also fell down last year.

However, only ASEAN market is the bright spot in seafood exports. In 2015, seafood export value to ASEAN countries reached nearly $500 million, increasing by over 10% compared to the same period.

VASEP expected that this market will continue to grow this year. The main seafood products to other countries in the region are catfish, tuna, and seafood.

According to VASEP report, in 2015, tuna exports to ASEAN continues to recover and this market occupies 3rd place in the top 10 biggest import markets of Vietnam tuna. Other seafood products that exported to ASEAN are grilled fish and surimi with the value of over $78 million US dollars, 18% higher than 2014’s figure.

Thus, looking at seafood export figures of Customs Department, it is obviously seen that only whiteleg shrimp involves in competition between Vietnam and other countries in ASEAN region. The other Vietnam seafood such as catfish, tuna, grilled fish, surimi can be exported and expand its market share in the 600 million people market.

Dung Nguyen

Source: thesaigontimes.vn