Assuming that Vietnam imported US$600 million worth of products every year, then tax payments would stand at US$120 million with an average import tax rate of 20%. If banks charged guarantee fees at 2.5%, importers would have to pay US$3 million, which given an interest rate of 12% would rise to US$3.36 million, or some VND70 billion, said Nguyen Hoai Nam, deputy general secretary of VASEP.
“Seafood enterprises lose VND70 billion each year, which will be included in production costs. Bank revenues are rising thanks to this source,” said Nam at a conference on the draft regulation on import tax grace period with guarantee of credit institutions held by VASEP on Monday.
Most seafood firms have to import materials at certain times in a year, when the sea is rough, making it impossible for fishing.
Enterprises said the requirement for bank guarantee imposes an extra expense on them. The General Department of Customs, one of the compilers of the draft regulation, said enterprises could use letters of credit for the next shipments as collateral.
However, Nguyen Xuan Nam, director of Hai Vuong Co. Ltd., stressed the compilers were standing away from taxpayers. “Not all enterprises open letters of credit. My customers in Europe in the current economic downturn also fear collateral at banks,” he said.
Enterprises should be allowed to gain profits first, and then tax revenues would rise, said Nam.
Nguyen Pham Thanh, general director of foreign-invested Highland Dragon Company, specializing in canned seafood, said he was surprised at this regulation.
He said investment incentives and friendly business environment were what attracted the foreign investor. “But changes and inconsistency in policies now make us very disappointed,” he stressed.
VASEP said it would send a report to the National Assembly and relevant agencies on this issue in the coming sitting on October 22. In addition, the association is asking for a zero import tax rate.
According to VASEP, seafood material imports picked up sharply in the last two years. Import value rose from US$247.7 million in 2007 to US$541 million in 2011.
In 2011, imported seafood materials contributed some US$900 million to the total export value. Seafood material import value is estimated at US$600 million this year.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) With a focus on sustainable development, high-tech application, and climate change adaptation, An Giang Province aims to maintain its brackish water shrimp production in 2026 at a level equivalent to the previous year. Specifically, output is projected to reach over 155,510 tons, serving both domestic consumption and export processing, thereby sustaining the fisheries sector’s key role in the local economic structure.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the Mekong Delta, key pangasius farming provinces such as An Giang, Dong Thap, and Can Tho are accelerating the transition toward a circular economy model, contributing to higher product value and reduced environmental impact. Instead of focusing solely on farming and processing, the pangasius value chain is increasingly utilizing by-products and waste streams to generate added value.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s scallop exports are entering a phase of impressive growth, as the global market undergoes significant restructuring. In 2025, scallop export value reached nearly USD 66 million, up 49% from USD 44 million in 2024. This upward momentum has continued and accelerated into early 2026, with exports totaling USD 18.1 million in the first two months alone—an increase of 166% year-on-year. This represents an exceptionally high growth rate, reflecting the rapid expansion of a relatively new product segment within Vietnam’s mollusk export portfolio.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) – On March 19, at the Government Headquarters, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh held a meeting with the European Commission (EC) inspection delegation on combating illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, led by Mr. Fernando Andresen Guimaraes, Head of Unit at the Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DG MARE).
(vasep.com.vn) Australia is emerging as one of the most stable and promising growth markets for Vietnamese shrimp. Amid global trade disruptions driven by geopolitical tensions—particularly conflicts in the Middle East—strengthening and expanding into stable markets like Australia has become increasingly important for Vietnam’s shrimp industry.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first two months of 2026, Vietnam’s squid and octopus exports reached over USD 111 million, up 23% compared to the same period in 2025. This result indicates a positive start for the sector, reflecting early signs of demand recovery in multiple markets from the beginning of the year.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first two months of 2026, Vietnam’s fisheries sector maintained positive growth momentum, with shrimp output exceeding 132 thousand tons. This result contributed to a strong increase in seafood export turnover, despite ongoing volatility in the global economy.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tilapia exports maintained strong growth momentum in February 2026, with many markets recording sharp increases compared to the same period last year. In February alone, export value reached USD 8.4 million, up 148% year-on-year. Cumulatively, in the first two months of 2026, total tilapia export turnover hit USD 23 million, soaring 242% compared to the same period in 2025.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In global seafood trade, sensory evaluation is increasingly becoming one of the key “technical barriers” in many importing markets-especially the United States. Issues such as filth, and signs of decomposition/spoilage are often detected through sensory evaluation methods and remain common reasons for seafood import alerts, detentions, or shipment rejections.
Shrimp has been the most important export product of Vietnam’s seafood industry for many years, typically accounting for 35–45% of the country’s total seafood export value. With a well-developed farming, processing, and export system, Vietnam has become one of the world’s leading shrimp exporters.
VASEP - HIỆP HỘI CHẾ BIẾN VÀ XUẤT KHẨU THỦY SẢN VIỆT NAM
Chịu trách nhiệm: Ông Nguyễn Hoài Nam - Phó Tổng thư ký Hiệp hội
Đơn vị vận hành trang tin điện tử: Trung tâm VASEP.PRO
Trưởng Ban Biên tập: Bà Phùng Thị Kim Thu
Giấy phép hoạt động Trang thông tin điện tử tổng hợp số 138/GP-TTĐT, ngày 01/10/2013 của Bộ Thông tin và Truyền thông
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