ESE 2013: Opportunities for Vietnam fisheries industry to improve its image

Addressing at the press conference, the Deputy General Director of Directorate of Fisheries (D-Fish) introduced the achievements of Vietnam fisheries industry in recent decades with its annual growth in fish production of 16 percent.

Vietnam fisheries industry is focusing on sustainable development, producing safe and high quality products to meet and fulfill consumers’ taste in Vietnam and worldwide. In addition, the industry attaches special importance to implement international commitments on preservation of environment and fish stocks, applying advanced techniques in aquaculture. Particularly, it is also applying the management of products under value chain and meeting standards such as VietGAP, ASC, GlobalGAP with the aim to raising productivity, controlling the quality of products, ensuring traceability, protecting environment and implementing social responsibility, Mr. Dien continued.

Vietnam fisheries industry has made progress in fish processing and seafood trade. Specifically, the country has over 400 seafood exporters granted under EU code. Vietnam seafood products are shipped to over 160 countries and territories, leading Vietnam to be put in the top 10 largest seafood exporters in the world with continuous annual growth, he affirmed.

EU market, being one of three largest seafood importers along with the U.S. and Japan, is consuming 18.5 percent of Vietnam’s total fish export value. The main products from Vietnam exported to EU are pangasius, shrimp, marine finfish and cephalopod.

Vietnam fisheries industry with a revenue of US$6.1 billion has made a considerable contribution to the country’s social - economic development. It created over 4 million jobs and played an important part in poverty reduction and hunger eradication, he stressed.

VASEP took full responsibility for Vietnam’s national pavilion at the ESE 2013, with about 40 booths.

According to VASEP, amid global economic distress, the number of Vietnam seafood enterprises participating in the ESE 2013 slashed of 25 percent. However, Vietnam exhibitors have made efforts to promote their brand name, learning about EU market and other markets, boosting trade promotion and taking advantages to strengthen Vietnam seafood products exportations.

In the ESE 2013, VASEP and Vietnam exhibitors have improved the ways in accessing to customers, organizing booths professionally and stepping up the investment in trademark promotion. VASEP has organized a booth to introduce pangasius production chain from breeding, farming, harvesting and processing fish into fillet, packaging and exporting through video clips showed during the Exposition, so that partners could understand Vietnam pangasius production sector under international standards.

Mr. Struan Stevenson, Senior Vice President of the European Parliament's Fisheries Committee, also visited VASEP’s booths and expressed his admiration on the fast development of Vietnam fisheries industry.

EU’s demand for finfish in particular and marine products in general, is increasingly high. 60 percent of seafood products consumed in EU are imported. Vietnam is becoming an important partner of EU, he said.

Mr. Stevenson was impressed by the improvement of Vietnam fisheries industry from captures, aquaculture productions and processing quality as well as diversification of seafood products originated from Vietnam.

He recognized success of Vietnam’s processing and aquaculture sector in satisfying EU and international standards on quality, food safety and hygiene, ensuring workers’ benefits, preserving fish stocks and ecosystem.

However, Vietnam’s processing and aquaculture sector needs to make more attempts because EU and the world’s regulations and standards on quality of seafood products are more and more stringent, he concluded.