Vietnam eyes stronger export of aquatic products to Brazil

Hanoi (VNA) - Vietnam has become one of the three largest white-fleshed fish suppliers for Brazil, with the export value of Tra fish to the market reaching 104.7 million USD in 2017, up 54 percent against 2016

Processing Tra fish for export (Source: VNA)

According to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), Brazil - which has annually imported more than 1 billion USD in the value of aquatic products since 2012, is now one of the largest markets of Vietnam’s Tra fish. 

This is a potential market in South America for Vietnam’s aquatic products, especially Tra fish, the association said. 

Statistics from the International Trade Centre showed Brazil ranked 21st globally in importing aquatic products in 2016. 

Vietnam’s exports of aquatic products to Brazil have risen over the past few years but its market share remains limited. 

The situation is attributable to the fact that Vietnamese exporters are meeting difficulties in selling their aquatic products in Vietnam’s traditional markets such as the US and EU. 

In the first months of 2018, Brazil was still one of the most important markets of Vietnam’s Tra fish. 

However, processors and exporters said their exports of aquatic products to the country still face difficulties and risks because the market applies strict regulations on quality standards and technical barriers to protect Brazilian producers. 

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) has paid attention to promoting negotiations with the Brazilian side, towards making it easier for Vietnamese aquatic products to enter the market. 

MARD’s Department of Animal Health recently asked VASEP to point out difficulties facing Vietnamese enterprises in exporting aquatic products to Brazil. 

VASEP Vice General Secretary To Thi Tuong Lan said the department should help aquatic firms update Brazil's import information and regulations as quickly as possible, as well as identify risks related to trade protection. 

It is necessary to have measures to prove that shrimps from Vietnam do not pose infection risk to shrimps in importing countries, she stressed. 

Recently, during his visit to Brazil, Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue also asked the Brazilian government to create favorable conditions for Vietnamese aquatic businesses to export their products such as Tra and basa fish and shrimps to the country.

Vietnam’s seafood exports reached a value of nearly 4 billion USD in the first half of 2018, up 12.3 percent year-on-year, according to VASEP. 

In June, basa fish brought home more than 200 million USD, up nearly 33 percent annually, bringing the six-month figure to about 1 billion USD, up 21 percent. 

Firms predicted that seafood exports will keep growing over the last half of the year thanks to an increase in demand. Several domestic processing enterprises have signed contracts for major holidays later this year. 

The country’s export of aquatic products is forecast to continue growing strongly for the rest of the year.