VN pangasius exporters need preparation to take opportunities from EVFTA
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In May 2019, Pangasius exports to EU market continued to increase nearly 18% compared to the same period in 2018. By the end of May, 2019, the total export value of pangasius to this market reached US$118.7 million, up 29.8%, accounting for 15% of total export value of pangasius. Particularly, exports to the UK and Germany continued to grow positively from 2 - 3 digits compared to the same period in 2018.
On June 30, 2019, the Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA) and Investment Protection Agreement (IPA ) between the European Union (EU) and Vietnam was signed in Vietnam. The question is, will Vietnamese pangasius exporters take advantage of the opportunity to boost export to this market?
According to the Ministry of Industry and Trade, after the signing ceremony on June 30, the trade agreement with the EU must go through the approval process. According to regulation, the European Parliament will consider on the basis of the proposal of the European Commission at the end of 2019. If implemented, EVFTA will be a huge boost to Vietnam's exports, helping diversify market and export items, especially agricultural and seafood products as well as Vietnamese products which have many competitive advantages. The level of commitment in EVFTA can be considered the highest commitment that Vietnam has achieved in the signed FTAs so far.
Vietnam pangasius exporters need to grasp this advantage to increase export activities in the future. On the other hand, businesses also need to pay attention to the possibility of increasing non-tariff barriers for imported products, in which, standards of quality will be more stringent.
|
EU’s pangasius and basa fish imports, 2018-2019 (thousand USD)
|
|
No
|
Markets
|
Q1
|
Q2
|
Q3
|
Q4
|
2018
|
Q1/2019
|
|
1
|
Netherlands
|
13,185
|
18,128
|
17,024
|
12,045
|
60,382
|
|
|
2
|
UK
|
9,053
|
10,860
|
13,641
|
15,254
|
48,808
|
16,890
|
|
3
|
Germany
|
9,612
|
8,660
|
10,022
|
8,206
|
36,500
|
8,821
|
|
4
|
Italy
|
4,273
|
7,802
|
6,321
|
3,086
|
21,482
|
|
|
5
|
Belgium
|
4,316
|
5,592
|
4,959
|
6,058
|
20,925
|
|
|
6
|
Spain
|
2,586
|
6,281
|
5,852
|
4,750
|
19,469
|
6,579
|
|
7
|
France
|
3,452
|
3,800
|
3,979
|
3,216
|
14,447
|
5,170
|
|
8
|
Poland
|
2,885
|
2,086
|
3,188
|
4,454
|
12,613
|
|
|
9
|
Portugal
|
2,907
|
2,616
|
3,800
|
2,528
|
11,851
|
2,422
|
|
10
|
Austria
|
2,029
|
1,736
|
1,822
|
2,091
|
7,678
|
|
|
11
|
Greek
|
1,466
|
1,777
|
2,127
|
1,168
|
6,538
|
1,273
|
|
12
|
Hungary
|
1,553
|
1,269
|
1,589
|
2,032
|
6,443
|
|
|
13
|
Switzerland
|
957
|
2,279
|
776
|
806
|
4,818
|
|
|
14
|
Romania
|
1,171
|
993
|
942
|
1,253
|
4,359
|
|
|
15
|
Slovenia
|
942
|
797
|
747
|
1,073
|
3,559
|
|
|
16
|
Denmark
|
985
|
516
|
774
|
603
|
2,878
|
|
|
17
|
Czech Republic
|
401
|
312
|
748
|
619
|
2,080
|
416
|
|
18
|
Cyprus island
|
248
|
694
|
708
|
312
|
1,962
|
|
|
19
|
Estonia
|
370
|
459
|
287
|
468
|
1,584
|
378
|
|
20
|
Lithuania
|
309
|
294
|
254
|
366
|
1,223
|
349
|
|
21
|
Slovakia
|
208
|
202
|
142
|
588
|
1,140
|
|
|
22
|
Croatia
|
433
|
223
|
151
|
245
|
1,052
|
|
|
23
|
Latvia
|
147
|
194
|
215
|
168
|
724
|
|
|
24
|
Finland
|
89
|
173
|
197
|
131
|
590
|
|
|
25
|
Bulgaria
|
92
|
59
|
200
|
102
|
453
|
|
|
26
|
Luxembourg
|
103
|
111
|
97
|
107
|
418
|
|
|
27
|
Malta
|
35
|
80
|
147
|
43
|
305
|
|
|
EU
|
63,807
|
77,993
|
80,709
|
71,772
|
294,281
|
42,298
|