Mexico has been the largest market of Vietnam ’s tra and basa fish in the Middle and Southern America , according to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Processors (VASEP).

In the first six months of this year, Mexico imported 17,000 tonnes of tra fish worth 37.3 million USD, ranking fifth among importers of Vietnamese tra fish after the US , Spain , Germany and the Netherlands .

Tra fish and shrimps are two major export items of Vietnam to Mexico . However, shrimp exports make up a small proportion with only 45 tonnes exported for 402,000 USD in the first six months of the year.

VASEP said that before 2006, Mexican people did not know much about Vietnamese tra and basa products, and now those products are easy to find in many supermarkets and big markets like Walmart, Costco, Chedraui, Superama, and Sorianna.

The achievements were attributed to efforts by enterprises in searching and expanding markets. Active enterprises included Hung Vuong Corp, Bianfishco, Thimaco, CL-Fish, Navico, Thufico, Bien Dong Seafood and Ocean Food Corp.

Vietnamese enterprises found many favourable conditions in doing business in Mexico with stable import volume, fast and simple payment methods, low cost for transport and reasonable requirements for products’ quality and techniques.

As a result, the number of Vietnamese exporters of tra fish to Mexico increased to 54 enterprises in 2009 from 24 in 2004./.