(vasep.com.vn) During the past 5 years, seafood was one of Vietnam’s top 5-export items to Africa. In 2012, Vietnam exported its seafood products to 25 African countries with a revenue of US$150 million, up 38 percent over 2011.
In the first quarter of 2013, turnover of seafood exports to the region reached US$30.3 million, up 15 percent from those of the same period of 2012.
In 2012, in the African region, the largest importers of Vietnam seafood were Egypt (US$79.6 million), Tunisia (US$11.16 million), Nigeria (US$11 million), Algeria (US$9.5 million), Cameroon (US$7.1 million), Libya (US$6.5 million), Morocco (US$4.2 million), South Africa (US$3.7 million), Kenya (US$2.8 million), Mauritius (US$2.4 million), Sudan (US$2.2 million) and Congo (US$2 million). Pangasius, frozen shrimp, peeled shrimp and tuna were main export items from Vietnam to the region.
Algeria, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa largely imported frozen pangasius fillet. Vietnam also shipped shrimp to Africa but with small volumes and value.
Advantages
Most of African countries must import seafood to meet their domestic demand because the aquaculture sector, especially freshwater finfish farming in this region do not develop. More and more foreigners (mainly from Europe, America) go to Africa for working or travelling which helps increase regional seafood demand. Pangasius is increasingly favored by African people thanks to its low cholesterol content. For the time being, in meals, African people tend to eat pangasius instead of eating meat, which helps Vietnam exporters in boosting fish exports to the market. Even Vietnam enterprises can plan to farm fish in Africa to meet local people’s demand and export fish to neighboring countries. With the advantages of an abundant domestic pangasius supply and a stable price, Vietnam fish exporters will have more opportunities to bolster exports to the market. Export turnover of Vietnam pangasius and shrimp to Africa has increased continuously in the past years.
Egypt is considered as the most potential market for Vietnam seafood. In recent years, exports of this item to the market marked a continuous growth with an export turnover of US$79.6 million in 2012, up 33 percent over 2011. Fish is one of the traditional foods for Egyptian in New Year holidays. Ancient Egyptian like fish because they considered it as a healthy and lucky food.