(vasep.com.vn) Vietnamese pangasius exports in 2014 are predicted to decrease by 5 percent against that recorded in 2013, according to Truong Dinh Hoe, General Secretary of Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP). The decline is due to lower supply of domestic raw material. Prices for exported products will be up slightly. In the coming year, the pangasius may see stable trend in exports to traditional markets, where it has still be choice of many consumers thanks to reasonable price.
In the next year, China is expected to be a potential market for Vietnamese products as the country reported considerably high growth in its imports from Vietnam. With an average of 4,000 MT per month, China accounted for 6 percent of Vietnam total seafood export value in 2013. Currently, fish products of Vietnam are traded to China mainly through borders.
Through November 2013, areas for pangasius production in Mekong Delta were 4,679 hectares, down 13 percent against the same period of 2012; 3,636 hectares of which were harvested for total production of 1 million MT, down 2.9 percent. The year-to-date exports had a worth of nearly US$1.6 billion, 0.1 percent below that of 2012.
In short term, the country need to set up a planning for cultivation areas in 2014 and 2015 in order to stabilize the pangasius industry. It is also important to strengthen the control of quality of pangasius seeds, raw fish and processed products. Other measures must be intensifying demands, developing and promoting brands of pangasius products as well as establishing distribution chanels.