Forestry, seafood export reaches record high

Workers of Minh Phú Hậu Giang Seafood JSC, a member of Minh Phú Seafood Corporation, at Hậu Giang Industrial Zone in the southern province of Hậu Giang prepare goods for export. Việt Nam hit US$9 billion in total export value of seafood products this year, a year-on-year increase of 8.4 per cent. — VNA/VNS Photo Vũ Sinh

HÀ NỘI — The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said yesterday the total export value of forestry and seafood products reached a record high at about US$18 billion this year.

Việt Nam gained $9 billion in total of seafood products this year, a year-on-year rise of 8.4 per cent, said Nguyễn Quang Hùng, deputy director of the ministry’s Directorate of Fisheries.

He was speaking at a conference on production and business of the fishery industry this year and tasks in 2019 held in Hà Nội yesterday by the general department.

The meeting heard how export value surged 26.4 per cent year on year to $2.26 billion for tra fish, 13.9 per cent to $675 million for tuna, 15.5 per cent to 1.52 billion for other kinds of fish, 9.1 per cent to $785 million for mollusk and 23 per cent to $145 million for crustaceans.

Meanwhile, the total export value of shrimp dropped 7.1 per cent year on year to $3.58 billion, including $2.48 billion from white-leg shrimp, down 2 per cent and $810 million from tiger shrimp, down 7.8 per cent.

Tra fish production gained a total output of 1.42 million tonnes this year, up 8.4 per cent compared to 2017, the general department said.

The fishery industry also developed high economic value products such as cold-water fish, tilapia, mollusks, giant freshwater shrimp and lobster to contribute to the ministry’s total export value.

In 2019, the fishery industry set a target of increasing growth in production value at 4.25 per cent against this year, the total fishery output at 7.9 million tonnes and seafood export value at 11.1 per cent to $10 billion.

To achieve the goals, the directorate proposed the Government approve the Marine Economic Development Strategy for 2030, with a vision to 2045 and allow the ministry to develop and implement a pilot project on marine aquaculture development in 2019-20.

Meanwhile, the ministry would increase investment in infrastructure construction for the fisheries sector such as fishing ports and anchorage areas for fishing vessels, said Nguyễn Ngọc Oai, acting general director of the directorate.

The industry will not increase the output of exploitation but promote the use of scientific and technological advances for higher value of products, post-harvest preservation, and reduction of losses in post-harvest.

Wood exports

The Việt Nam Administration of Forestry reported that Việt Nam gained a year-on-year increase of 15.9 per cent in export value to $9.3 billion. This figure included $8.8 billion from wood and wood products.

The forestry industry achieved a trade surplus of about $7 billion this year, Phạm Văn Điển, deputy director of the administration said at its conference on production and business of the forestry industry this year and key tasks next year held in Hà Nội yesterday.

The import value of wood and wood products reached $2.3 billion this year.

Now, Việt Nam has 4,500 enterprises processing and exporting wood and forest products, including 1,863 exporters. They involved more than 700 foreign-invested businesses with a large production scale and application technology for production.

In 2019, the forestry sector has set targets of growth rate at 5.5-6 per cent in production value and export value at $10.5 billion.

At the conference, the administration proposed the Government allow it building a brand for Vietnamese wooden products.