(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In QI/2022, clams remained the main product of mollusk shells, accounting for 66% with nearly 21 million USD, up 36% over the same period in 2021.
In the first quarter of this year, Vietnam’s top clam import markets included the EU, the US, South Korea, Singapore, the UK, and Japan. Among these markets, clam exports to Portugal and Japan decreased, while exports to the remaining markets grew positively. Exports to South Korea increased sharply by 182%.
Vietnam’s largest clam import markets in the EU were Italy, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, and Belgium. In the first quarter of this year, only clam exports to Portugal fell slightly by 9%, exports to the remaining markets all grew by double digits, 33%-45%.
In QI/2022, Italy was also Vietnam’s largest single clam import market, with 6.4 million USD, up 45% over the same period last year. Clam exports to Spain reached 6.3 million USD, an increase of 44% compared to the same period.
The EU favored clam products such as clam meat, steamed whole white/brown clams, and processed value-added products such as steamed clams with garlic butter, tomyum seasoned clams.
Inflation and high food prices in the EU have made Vietnamese clams more attractive to customers and importers in the EU. Due to tax incentives from the EVFTA Agreement, Vietnam's clam exports to the EU are expected to grow well this year.
In QI/2022, there were 13 localities exporting clams. In which, Thanh Hoa province, the leading province, accounted for over 24% of clam export turnover, with over 3 million USD, most of which were products exported by HASUVIMEX. The province that ranked second in clam export turnover was Ben Tre with 2.1 million USD, accounting for 16% with 3 exporters including AQUATEX BENTRE, BESEACO and AQUAMARINE.
Nam Dinh province ranked third, accounting for 14%, with a value of 1.8 million USD, mainly clam products of LENGER SEAFOODS VIETNAM COMPANY LIMITED.
Currently, Vietnamese clams have a great advantage regarding prestige and quality, especially clams in Ben Tre have achieved MSC certification. Vietnamese clams are famous for their taste, nutrition and white thick flesh and are favored in many major markets around the world.
Some Vietnam’s clam processing and exporting enterprises have controlled the farming areas, raw material sources, and production processes. To meet the demand of strict export markets, enterprises invested in modern technologies for clam cleaning and processing of fresh, frozen, and canned clams, to ensure the quality of international standards.
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Compiled by Phuong Linh