(vasep.com.vn) Japan is a large consumer market of Vietnam seafood every year. Fish paste and surimi exports to the market have reported a stable growth.
In recent three years, fish paste and surimi exports to Japan posted positive results: in 2010, exports of these items reached US$44.7 million, up 160.6 percent compared to that of the previous year. Earthquake and tsunami in Japan in March 2011 cut demand for these items in a short term because Japanese people tightened their spending to save money. This lessened Vietnam’s surimi exports to Japan in 2011 to US$38.7 million, down 13.5 percent over 2010.
In 2012, surimi exports to Japan had signs of rebounding at 2.9 percent in value from 2011. In the year, Japan was the second largest single market after South Korea.
Fish paste and surimi exports to Japan in 2012 reached US$39.8 million, accounting for 14.6 percent of Vietnam’s total export value of these items.
Vietnam is one of three main suppliers of fish paste and surimi for Japan. Vietnam prevails against other suppliers such as Thailand, India and Indonesia because of its lower export price.