(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam export of pangasius products is struggling with many difficulties in the global market, especially in the EU. To keep business, fish farmers and processing companies have to reduce their farming areas or limit fish stocking. In order to ease current troubles, Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) has recommended to government five urgent measures to save the export-driven pangasius industry:
Firstly, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) should petition the government to consider pangasius export activities as a conditional industry. Only companies with their own processing plants satisfying all requirements for food safety are eligible to export fish products.
Secondly, the government and Ministry of Finance need to add Vietnam Development Bank (VDB) in the list of state-owned credit and financial institutions to offer loans to borrowers in pangasius aquaculture and export sector.
Thirdly, banking system should consider rescheduling and restructuring debts of companies, as well as offering more loans to help farmers grow fish in medium and long terms.
Fourthly, banks need to extend credit limits for 20 leading pangasius companies, which accounted for over 60 percent of earnings from export. After pilot period, the measure could be used to other companies in the sector.
Fifthly, authorities have to strengthen sanctions in order to limit the use of additives in pangasius processing to make sure product’s net weight; outline a process to ban additives in exported pangasius products, firstly those shipped to the EU, the U.S. and Japan.