Seafood exports in the second half of the year are expected to rise by 11 per cent to US$4.46 billion, according to the Viet Nam Association of Seafood Producers and Exporters (Vasep).— VNA/VNS Photo
Seafood exports in the second half of the year are expected to rise by 11 per cent to US$4.46 billion, according to the Viet Nam Association of Seafood Producers and Exporters (Vasep).
Speaking at a Vasep plenary meeting in HCM City yesterday, its general secretary Truong Dinh Hoe said exports had shown good signs of growth in the first half and are expected to top $8 billion for the year, he said.
Shrimp shipments alone are expected to be worth $3.5 billion, a year-on-year increase of 12 per cent, he said.
Shrimp exports to China and the United States would remain very strong thanks to high demand there while exports to the EU and Japan would remain steady, he said.
Tra fish exports are expected to be worth $952 million in the second half, an increase of 3 per cent year-on-year, with shipments to China expected to grow by 50-60 per cent while the United States and EU would reduce their buying by 10-15 per cent and 5 per cent, respectively, he said.
Jiro Takeuchi of Bonmea GmbH said he sees an opportunity in Europe for small-sized and certified shrimp.
There is an increase in demand for ASC (Aquaculture Stewardship Council) certified shrimp, he said.
Le Van Quang, chairman of Minh Phu Seafood Group, a large shrimp exporter, said there is a shortage of small-sized shrimps for processing, especially for Europe.
Shrimp farmers have enjoyed a good year in 2017, particularly those applying the “three clean” breeding model, he said.
Many farms have yielded very large shrimps weighing 15 to the kilogramme.
Large-sized shrimp would be abundant next year and their price would fall, he said.
He suggested that farmers should not harvest in one lot, but instead divide their crop into three or four lots.
This way, the first harvest would be done when the shrimp are 50 days old (80 shrimps/kilogramme), the second at 55-60 days (65-70 shrimps), the third at 80 days (35-40 shrimps) and the fourth at 100 days (15-20 shrimps).
“[This] will offer higher efficiency.”
The association said the fisheries sector faces many challenges, including inconsistency in output and quality of inputs and trade barriers in importing markets.
Hoe said to overcome these challenges and continue to develop businesses need to keep abreast of market information and change tack to meet market demands. — VNS