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Vietnam’s seafood exports continue to rise in 2008
Vietnam exported more than US$4.5 billion worth of seafood in 2008, an increase of nearly 20 percent against the previous year, according to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP).
Statistics released by the General Department of Customs show that the country exported more than 1.2 billion tonnes of seafood, a year-on-year rise of 33.7 percent.
The European Union (EU) continues to be the largest importer of Vietnamese seafood, having imported 349,000 tonnes, worth US$1.14 billion, up 26 percent from 2007.
In 2008, Vietnam shipped seafood to 26 out of 27 EU countries. Its most prominent markets include Germany, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands and Belgium.
Vietnam’s second largest market is Japan, which imported more than 134,000 tonnes worth over US$828 million in total, an increase of 13.2 percent in terms of volume and 11 percent in terms of value.
Being the centre of the global economic downturn, the US fell to third place with regard to importing the products from Vietnam. The US market made up only 16.5 percent of Vietnam’s export market structure as compared with 20.4 percent in the previous year.
It’s forecast that the prolonged economic crisis will continue to affect US consumption of seafood in 2009.
The Republic of Korea (RoK) was placed fourth among Vietnam’s top importers of seafood. The first half of 2008 saw a sharp rise in frozen shrimp and octopus exports to the RoK.
A VASEP representative said the RoK will still be a major market for Vietnamese seafood but the growth of exports to this market will slow down in 2009 due to economic difficulties.
Russia was Vietnam’s top importer of tra and basa catfish, with a 142 percent and 109 percent rise in terms of volume and value respectively.
Ukraine proved to be a phenomenon in 2008 as its imports of Vietnamese seafood grew by 202.6 percent in volume) and 221.1 percent in value.
VietNamNet, VOV
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