(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the 5 years (2015-2019), Vietnam's shrimp industry has achieved positive results in production and export. Shrimp farming area increased by an average of 1.4% per year, while production rose by an average of 5.7% annually, mainly due to improved whiteleg shrimp productivity. The production of whiteleg shrimp elevated sharply by nearly 41% after 5 years with an average increase of 9% per year. Meanwhile, black tiger shrimp production went up by an average of 1.2% and only increased by 3.1% after 5 years; productivity did not have a significant growth compared to whiteleg shrimp.

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyễn Xuân Cường has urged 28 coastal provinces to promote further actions against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

The European Council has approved a decision to conclude the European Union-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), the final procedure from the E.U. side needed for the deal to become effective.

The European Council on Monday ratified a free trade agreement with Vietnam that promises to reduce tariffs on Vietnamese shrimp from the current 12% to 20% rates to zero after seven years, Vietnam News reports.

Vietnam’s canned tuna exports could boom since the EU countries and the US are stocking up amid the COVID-19 epidemic uncertainty.

As shrimp exporters and farmers in Ca Mau are feeling COVID-19 headwinds, the southernmost province is seeking ways to mitigate impact of the pandemic that is ravaging around the world.

With Vietnam’s main agro-forestry-fishery export markets after China such as the US and Europe being hit by the new coronavirus-caused acute respiratory disease (COVID-19), Vietnamese exporters are suffering.

Tuna-fishing boats in the central province of Khanh Hoa are busy with the ongoing season, as a vessel can earn nearly 100 million VND (4,300 USD) per trip, Dan Viet online newspaper reports.

(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In January 2020, pangasius exports to most markets decreased sharply year on year. In particular, pangasius export to the US market this month has surpassed China - Hong Kong to become the largest importer of Vietnam with an export value of US$ 18.1 million, accounting for 17.8% of the total export value of pangasius.

A survey by the Việt Nam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (Vasep) found that the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic was hitting seafood companies hard, especially since the beginning of March.