Vietnam has signed seven free trade agreements with multi-lateral, regional and bilateral partners, with hundreds of tariffs on farm produce to be removed by 2018.

(vasep.com.vn) In 2014, Vietnam gained US$ 3.99 billion from export to Australia, up 13.7% year on year. Seafood exports from Vietnam to Australia reached at US$ 239 million, revealing an increase of 16%.

Cooperation potential between Ho Chi Minh City and European Union (EU) countries is huge, especially in trade and investment, Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Le Hoang Quan has said.

(vasep.com.vn) With more attractive interest rates and other incentives offered, Vietnam businesses will find a better climate in 2015, when trade agreements take effect. The industry strives to produce 6.6 million MT of seafood, up 5.5% year on year with export value reaching US$ 8.5 billion.

(vasep.com.vn) Surimi exports in February 2015 worth US$ 14.2 million, up 22.4% year on year but down 45.3% month on month. Cumulative surimi exports in 2015 reached over US$ 40 million, up 14.1% year on year. This year, surimi exports from Vietnam to major markets grew well, except for EU and Taiwan. Exports to top 8 markets accounted for 98.6% of total exports from Vietnam, down from 96.9% of last year. Russia and China were markets with strongest growth, at 68.2% and 40.7%, respectively. Meanwhile South Korea, ASEAN and Japan are top surimi export markets.

Senior officials including Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai last Friday called for a restructuring of the agricultural sector to redress supply-demand distortions and create branded products that are popular within and outside the country.

(vasep.com.vn) Starting to import pangasius from Vietnam in 2008 at around 600 MT/year with annual value of US$ 1.6 million, now, among ASEAN nations, after Thailand and Singapore, the Philippines is the third most popular destination for the fish.

The Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Processors (VASEP) has estimated that the country’s total seafood export turnover in the first quarter reached US$1.27 billion, down 23 percent compared to the same period in 2014.

The fisheries sector recorded major catches of 1.3 million tonnes of fish in the 2014-2015 north season, an annual rise of 2.85 percent, as reported at a conference held in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue on April 2.

With vast water surface areas and a large market for fish, Ha Noi has high potential for sustainable aquaculture development.