(vasep.com.vn) As of September 2012, Australia is the fifth largest single market of Vietnam seafood with the export turnover of US$138.7 million, up 22.7 percent from that of the same time last year.
Main export seafood items to Australia encompassed shrimp, making up 60 percent of total seafood export to the market, followed by pangasius with the proportion of 26.2 percent, mollusk with 3.4 percent (in which cephalopod occupied 2.6 percent).
According to Vietnam Customs, in the first nine months of 2012, cephalopod shipment to Australia reported a positive growth of 24.9 percent compared to the corresponding time of 2011 and reached US$3.63 million. In which exports of frozen, fresh squid reported the highest level of over US$2 million, making up 57 percent of total Vietnam cephalopod export value to the country. The figure was up 77 percent from that of the same period of 2011. Frozen octopus exports accounted for the second highest proportion of 38.4 percent and reached nearly US$1.7 million.
However, this is only item in the group of mollusk reported monthly consecutive reduction since the second quarter of 2012. Thus, in the period between January and September, total frozen octopus exports to the market tumbled by 17.9 percent over that of the same period of 2011.
At the same time, exports of processed squid (HS 16 code) and grilled, dried squid (HS 03 code), including ready to eat, dried squid from Vietnam to Australia reported an instability with small export value and modest proportion of only 2 percent, evenin some months these products were not exported; however, total export value of two these products in Jan – Sep recorded a surprising triple digit growth of 678.1 percent and 151.7 percent, respectively.
According to chart of cephalopod exports to Australia in the first 9 months of 2011 and 2012, cephalopod exports to Australia saw ebbs and flows with instability in monthly export value. Through the year to date, export value in March and August reported the highest level of over US$700 thousand with fairly high growth of 225.4 percent and 79.7 percent, respectively compared to the same period of last year.
Besides, export value in the second quarter of 2012 (April, May, June) was modest but it marked the high growth. The highest growth of 248.5 percent was obtained in April. In contrast, in July and September, shipment value fell sharply to US$148.7 thousand and US$231.5 thousand, equal to the decline of 65.8 percent and 69.5 percent, respectively over those of the same period of 2011.
Currently, Vietnam seafood is shipped to Australia with zero export duty which is a huge advantage for Vietnam enterprises to increase their competitiveness in the market. Trade and duty policies of Australia are fairly transparent. However, according to experts in trade promotion to Australia, enterprises still face obstacles because the market imposes strict requirements on food safety and hygiene and products’ design. Enterprises should carry out market research carefully and pay attention to ensure their products’ quality in order to remain and expand their market share in the potential and large market.