Aquatic Product Exports Bring Home US$2.4 Billion in Four Months

The US, Japan, China, and the Republic of Korea were the biggest importers in January-March, making up 52 per cent of the Southeast Asian country’s total aquatic product exports.

The highest growth was reported in the Netherlands (55.7 per cent), China (44.6 per cent), and the UK (33.8 per cent).

In the four-month period, Vietnam imported US$536 million worth of aquatic products, up 27.4 per cent against the same period last year. Of that figure, US$130 million worth of aquatic products were imported in April.

Vietnam achieved its highest ever aquatic product export value of US$8.32 billion in 2017, a year-on-year increase of 18 per cent, according to the MARD.

The Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) said shrimp exports provided the biggest contribution to the total export value, with a growth rate of 21 per cent to US$3.8 billion in 2017.

Exports of aquatic product in 2018 are expected to exceed US$8.5 billion, up about 3 per cent compared to 2017, though Vietnam's exports to the US and EU markets will continue to be affected by catfish inspections, anti-dumping and illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU), according to the VASEP.

Theo NDO/VNA