Seafood exports to grow this month

 HÀ NỘI — The Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) forecasts seafood export turnover will increase to reach about US$ 六 四0 million this month with positive signals from importing countries.

The association said the increase could be up  一. 五 per cent over the same period in  二0 二0 and markets including the US, EU and other countries in the CPTPP will maintain growth.

After increasing by  二 三. 四 per cent to reach $ 六00 million in January  二0 二 一, seafood exports in February fell  一 九 per cent compared to February  二0 二0, estimated at more than $ 四0 五 million. Lower sales last month was due to the Lunar New Year holiday. Thus, to the end of February  二0 二 一, seafood exports reached over $ 一 billion, up by  二. 二 per cent.

VASEP said in the first two months of the year, Việt Nam's seafood exports continued to be dominated by consumption trends amid the COVID- 一 九 pandemic, which increased demand for affordable and easy to process seafood products.

Frozen small white shrimp, processed white-leg shrimp, fish balls, surimi, and whole ​​fillets, cut pieces, dried anchovies and dried squid were some of the best selling products. Meanwhile, exports of frozen whole shrimp products, especially tiger shrimp, decreased due to the high prices and the tight control of frozen foods entering the Chinese market.

Export activities in the first two months of the year were still limited due to the rising sea freight costs, said VASEP.

Shrimp exports in February were estimated at nearly $ 一 六0 million, down  一 八 per cent from the same period in  二0 二0, and by the end of February, shrimp exports reached over $ 三 八0 million, down slightly by 0. 八 per cent over the same term last year. Black tiger shrimp exports decreased by nearly  四0 per cent, while white-leg shrimp exports still accounted for an increasingly large proportion at  八0 per cent of total shrimp exports with about $ 三0 四 million, an increase of about  一 四 per cent from the same term last year.

After continuous decline in  二0 二0, fish exports saw positive signs earlier this year. In January, they increased  二 二 per cent to reached $ 一 二 三. 五 million. In the first two months, the export of fish products reach $ 二 一 四 million, up  一. 七 per from last year.

Nguyễn Ngô Vi Tâm, General Director of Vĩnh Hòan Corporation, said that pangasius exports in February fell sharply because of the New Year in China.

Tâm said: “This decrease happens due to the Chinese New Year. Currently, due to the pandemic, exports are slower.”

Tâm said they could not transport products to China from mid January until March.

Meanwhile, pangasius exports to the US have been growing. In January  二0 二 一, the export of frozen pangasius fish fillets increased by  五 四 per cent, while whole pangasius fish increased by  一 六 二 per cent.

Recently, Colombian importers have also increased their purchases of local whole pangasius. In January  二0 二 一 these importers bought mostly whole pangasius, and only a small quantity of pangasius fillet.

Except for China and the EU, local pangasius exports tended to recover strongly in all markets, sharply increasing to the US with  五 一 per cent in January and to CPTPP countries by  三 八 per cent, including to Mexico by  七 三 per cent, to Australia by  四 五 per cent and to Canada by  四 二 per cent. Exports to other markets such as Brazil, Colombia, UK, and Russia all increased from  三 七- 一 二 九 per cent.

VASEP estimated the export turnover in March to reach about $ 六 四0 million, up  一. 五 per cent over the same month of  二0 二0.

The association said exports to the US, EU and CPTPP countries would remain steady thanks to high demand and the advantage of different free trade agreements including the EVFTA and CPTPP. — VNS