Marine products export grew strongly

In 2010, Vietnam exported over 250,000 MT of marine products, valued at approximately US$900 million. In which tuna export value reached US$293 million, accounted for 5.8 percent of total seafood export value, mollusk accounted for US$489 million (9.7 percent), crustaceans (ex. shrimp) approximately US$112 million, accounting for 2.2 percent and the rest were other marine fish.

Tuna: 2010 was considered as a successful year of Vietnamese tuna export because both volume and value of tuna export to most markets grew strongly. In 2010, tuna export reached about 83,800 MT, valued at US$293 million, up 48.9 percent in volume and 59.9 percent in percent compared to 2009. In which, raw tuna export (code HS 03) reached about 37,800 MT, valued at over US$175 million, accounting for nearly 60 percent of total tuna export value, canned tuna export (HS code 16) reached about 46,000 MT, valued at US$117.5 million, accounting for 40 percent. The causes of growth were high average export price of tuna, increase in consumption, while some countries were proposing to cut the quota of some tuna species.

In 2010, Vietnamese tuna was exported to 91 markets with the participation of 140 exporters. Top 10 leading exporters included Yueh Chyang Co, Foodtech Co., Ltd, Toan Thang Co., Ltd, Tin Thinh Co., Ltd, Havuco, Hong Ngoc PTE, Dragon Wages, Highland Dragon, Thanh Son PTE and Bidifishco, accounting for nearly 64 percent of total tuna export value of the country. Top 10 largest importers included the U.S., Japan, Thailand, Italy, Germany, Belgium, Iran, Spain, the Netherlands and Canada, representing about 79 percent. Tuna export to most major markets increased sharply from 12 -130 percent, exception for Germany and Israel fell 18 percent and 4 percent, respectively.

 Mollusk: In 2010, Vietnamese mollusk export reached 125,000 MT, worth US$489 million, accounting for 9.7 percent of total seafood export value. In which unprocessed mollusk export (HS code 03) reached about 100,000 MT, worth about US$400 million, representing 82 percent, the rest were processed mollusk (HS code 16) with 25,000 MT, worth about US$89 million. There were 442 mollusk exporters to 80 markets, up 7 markets compared to 2009. Top 10 leading exporters were Havico, Hai Nam Co., Ltd, Kisimex, Vietfood Co., Ltd, Aquatex Bentre, Phu Quy Co., Ltd, Nguyen Chi Seafood Co., Ltd, Minh Dang Co., Ltd, Huy Nam Co., Ltd and Ngoc Ha Co., Ltd.

Top 10 largest importers were South Korea, Japan, Italy, Spain, Thailand, the U.S., Portugal, Taiwan, China and Belgium, accounting for 83 percent of total export value. Mollusk export to major markets increased compared to 2009 in which the largest growth was Israel with 116 percent.

Crab, swimming crab and other crustaceans (ex. shrimp): These were potential items with the high growth. Their export volume in 2010 reached 16,000 MT, worth US$112 million, representing 2.2 percent of total seafood export value. There were 127 exporters to 38 markets. In particular, the U.S. accounted for the largest share with over 52 percent (5,300 MT, worth more than US$59 million), up more than 4 times against 2009 in both volume and value. EU ranked the second with over 16 percent (about 2,330 MT, worth US$18.25 million, up nearly 5 times in volume and nearly six times in value over 2009. France had the strongest growth with 5,567 percent.