Statistics released by Vietnam Customs show that South Korea imported 2,372MT of cuttlefish and octopus from Viet Nam in September, bringing the total volume for the first nine months of this year to 19,626MT, up 3.7 percent in volume and 4.9 percent in value over the same period last year.
By early October, Viet Nam’s cuttlefish and octopus exports to its key markets including South Korea, the U.S., Australia and ASEAN had seen a steady growth rate. However, many local exporters are now facing difficulties due to an insufficient supply, which has led to these products rising in price.
To address the shortages, the fisheries departments in a number of localities such as Da Nang, Binh Thuan and Kien Giang have taken steps, including zoning off areas to farm cuttlefish and octopuses and imposing a ban on catching cuttlefish during their breeding season.
VASEP said that it will work with the Korean Fisheries Trade Association (KFTA) to exchange information, expand the market and study demands in South Korea. (VietFishNews)