Aquatic export enjoys 29.5-percent growth in Jan-Feb

Processing Tra fish for export (Source: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam’s seafood export turnover hit 1.11 billion USD in the first two months of 2018, posting a year-on-year increase of 29.5 percent.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Japan, the US, China, and the Republic of Korea were top four importers of Vietnamese aquatic products in January, accounting for 50.9 percent of the total export value. 

Also in the first two months, Vietnam imported 270 million USD worth of aquatic products, a year-on-year surge of 33.1 percent. 

The Ministry said the production and sale of Tra fish (pangasius) has showed positive signs. Notably, the price of Tra fish materials hit a high record, standing at 28,000-29,500 VND (1.22 – 1.29 USD)/kg.

Tra fish output in the Mekong Delta localities in the last two months was estimated at 163,300 tonnes, 8 percent higher than that of the same period of 2017. An Giang and Can Tho are the main contributors to the region’s total Tra fish production with respective volumes of 49,000 tonnes and 17,200 tonnes. 

Vietnam’s tra fish exports reached 1.8 billion USD in 2017, up 4 percent against 2016, according to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP).

China, the US and the EU were the country’s largest importers of tra fish.

Meanwhile, the black tiger and white-leg shrimp yield in the Mekong Delta region respectively reached 29,800 tonnes and 10,800 tonnes, respectively up 8.1 percent and 2.2 percent.