(seafood.vasep.com.vn) After a series of consecutive declines due to epidemics, Vietnam's pangasius export has recently recovered. However, the road ahead of pangasius still has many challenges to solve. Mr. Truong Dinh Hoe - General Secretary of Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) discussed with reporters of the Vietnam Economic News around this issue.

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Statistics from the customs show that in January 2021, pangasius exports reached nearly 123.6 million USD, up by 21.7% compared to January 2020. Notably, frozen pangasius fillet products reached 115.8 million USD, increasing by 53.5% over the same period last year, staying at the top of 40 seafood export products of Vietnam in January. This is a sign of prosperity at the beginning of 2021 for pangasius after a "declining" year of 2020: only reaching 1.49 billion USD, down by 25.5% compared to 2019.

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Although heavily affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, Vinh Hoan Joint Stock Company (code VHC) - the largest pangasius exporter in Vietnam - still achieved positive business results in 2020. In 2021, with many resources and objective factors, new opportunities are opening up for VHC.

Cambodia's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries has decided to lift ban on four species of catfish imports from neighboring countries, including Viet Nam.

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) According to the report of the Directorate of Fisheries, in 2020, the total farming area of pangasius in the Mekong Delta is estimated at 5,700 hectares and the total harvested output reached 1.56 million tons, up 6.9% compared to last year. Dong Thap, An Giang, Can Tho, Ben Tre and Vinh Long are the 5 key provinces with the largest pangasius area and production in the country.

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) By the end of 2020, the export pangasius industry only brought in a turnover of about US$1.54 billion, a sharp decrease of 23% compared to 2019. From the beginning of 2020, pangasius exports has continuously declined due to the impact of Covid 19 and declining demand.

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The export value of pangasius has started to go up. In October, exports to China - Hong Kong, the Netherlands, and the UK grew well.

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) As of the first half of August 2020, the total export value of pangasius to the EU reached US$85.55 million, down 34.1% over the same period in 2019. In which, the export value to three single markets: the Netherlands shrunk by 27.5%; Germany down 36.7% and Spain went down by 13.4%. Although the EU has been still the third-largest pangasius export market of Vietnamese seafood enterprises (after China and the US) so far, there has been no sign of recovery in pangasius exports to this market.

Batches of tra fish products manufactured under a high-tech production process have been shipped to the EU, South America, ASEAN, China, and the Middle East by a company based in the Mekong Delta province of An Giang.

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) By the end of August 2020, the total export value of pangasius reached US$913.4 million, down nearly 30% over the same period in 2019. In particular, the value of exports to most major markets went down, except for the UK market, which lifted by 23.8% over the same period in 2019.

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) By the end of July 2020, the total value of pangasius exports to the US market reached US$133.7 million, down 20.2% over the same period in 2019. However, the export value to this market in July rose slightly by 4.4%. After COVID-19, several good signals restarting in Spain, the UK, and the US have made the picture of pangasius export to the US this month more optimistic.

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) According to the statistics of the Directorate of Fisheries, as of the end of June 2020, the area of pangasius farming nationwide is estimated at 4,530 hectares equaling to 95.7% compared to the same period in 2019. The harvested area is 1,536 hectares (equal to 78% over the same period in 2019).

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) As of mid-July 2020, the total value of pangasius exports to the ASEAN market reached US$73.1 million, down 32.4% over the same period in 2019. The export value to the three largest single markets was as follows: Thailand went down by 33.2%; Singapore rose by 3.3%; Malaysia hiked by 31.3% compared to the same period in 2019. In particular, Singapore was a bright spot in export pangasius to this area.

Forbes has announced the list of 25 Asian Power Businesswomen in 2020, which includes Madam Truong Thi Le Khanh. She is the Founder and Chairwoman of the seafood exporter Vinh Hoan Corp., making her one of only two Vietnamese women included on the list this year. The list aims to honor the women who play a significant role in shaping Asia’s business landscape.

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The economic crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic is also one of the major causes affecting the import and export activities of pangasius in many major markets around the world. As of the first half of June 2020, Vietnam's pangasius export value plunged by 29.8% over the same period in 2019, reaching US$ 612.3 million.