Workers process tuna at Tam Quan seaport in Hoai Nhon District, central coastal province of Binh Dinh. — VNA/VNS Photo Viet Y

HA NOI — The Japanese Hokugan Ltd Company intends to build a plant to process ocean tuna and other aquatic products in the Dong Tac fishing port, Tuy Hoa city of the central coastal province of Phu Yen in the near future.

At a working session on August 15 with Vice Chairman of the provincial People's Committee, Le Van Truc, director of the company Kawahira Manabu said the plant would have a capacity to process 1,800 tonnes of products per month.

The two sides also discussed fishing equipment and technique support for local fishermen.

Truc said the province would address land clearance issue in the next three months and will continue to exchange information with the Japanese firm to expedite the implementation of the project.

The Japanese company would provide fishing tools for locals in Tuy Hoa's Ward 6 and remains committed to sending experts to offer technical knowhow to local fishermen.

Phu Yen's annual catch is 6,000 tonnes of ocean tuna and 3,000 tonnes of cuttlefish, said Truc, adding that the output and quality would increase, thanks to the modern Japanese technology.

According to the provincial Department of Planning and Investment, the Japanese firm has studied a 16,500 sq.m site in Dong Tac fishing port for investment since September 2014.

The Okinawa-based company also hopes to build a high-quality ice water production plant for improved seafood preservation.

According to the General Department of Fisheries under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, three central provinces of Binh Dinh, Phu Yen and Khanh Hoa possess 2,826 tuna fishing vessels. However, 30 per cent of them are commercially unviable.

Currently, Viet Nam's tuna sector is facing numerous difficulties. Tuna output from the East Sea fishing ground dipped 30 per cent due to climate change.

Tuna exports by June 30 had dropped 8 per cent to US$224.7 million against the same period last year due to lesser demand in the world market and unstable quality of Viet Nam's tuna, according to the General Department of Customs.

At a meeting in July to review the pilot project on tuna fishing, purchase, processing and selling, participants proposed that Viet Nam's tuna industry should improve the quality of fishing and processing, invest in building specialised fish ports, identify potential products and expand markets.

International cooperation is also considered a key measure to spur the development of Viet Nam's tuna industry, they said.

Viet Nam would send a working group to the Philippines to learn tuna fishing and processing technologies, said Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Vu Van Tam.

Tam made the revelation after a recent fact-finding tour of General Santos, the largest producer of sashimi-grade tuna in the Philippines.

He said that the Philippines wants to learn aquaculture and fish processing technology from Viet Nam while Viet Nam should study tuna fishing and processing technology from the country. — VNS