Viewers visit a stall of Viet Nam at the Seafood Expo Global/ Processing Global 2014 on May 6 in Brussels, Belgium. — VNA/VNS Photo Do Hung

HA NOI (Biz Hub) — Twenty-three Vietnamese enterprises are introducing their products at the Seafood Expo Global/ Processing Global 2014, being held from May 6 to 8 in Brussels, Belgium.

The participating firms are members of the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), the Directorate of Fisheries and Viet Nam's Association of Tra and Basa Fish.

On the sidelines of the expo, VASEP and the Directorate of Fisheries have jointly organised a conference on Vietnamese catfish, which accounts for more than 25 per cent of Viet Nam's seafood exports turnover.

In the past two years, Viet Nam has maintained the quality of catfish and applied VietGap standards in fish farming. Many catfish farms have received certificates of food hygiene and safety from the US, the European Union (EU) and Japan. Vietnamese catfish are widely consumed in the European Union and is one of 10 most popular seafood products among US consumers.

VASEP vice chairman Nguyen Huu Dung said that the EU was one of the three important seafood export markets of Viet Nam, and imported up 20 to 25 per cent of Vietnamese seafood, especially tuna. He said that Vietnamese enterprises needed to improve the reputation and quality of their products to increase the export value.

With EU support, Viet Nam is building a sustainable supply chain for its tra fish in the period 2013-17. The country aims to manufacture catfish in an environment-friendly way, boosting its exports and ensuring the safety of the consumers.

During the three-day event in Brussels, the firms will carry out promotion activities to popularise the seafood of Viet Nam.

The annual Seafood Expo Global/ Processing Global is the world's largest seafood trade fair. This year, the fair features more than 1,690 companies from more than 75 countries and territories. The products being exhibited include fresh and frozen seafood, equipments for processing seafood and seafood transporting equipments.

At the event, the manufacturers can introduce their products and seek opportunities for cooperation and expansion of exports. The exhibition also helps firms to assess the trends in the seafood market and develop new products. — VNS