Tuna export to EU rockets
According to statistics by
the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), the
total export value of Vietnam’s fresh/frozen tuna and tuna fillet
products reached nearly 54 million USD, showing slight growth of 0.24
percent year-on-year.
Exports of processed tuna
products to the bloc also gained impetus. Between Jan and Sep 2013,
Vietnam ’s canned tuna exports to the market inched up 76 percent
year-on-year while other processed tuna sales scored a staggering gain
of 1,565 percent.
Top five largest importers of
Vietnamese tuna in the EU reported positive growth. These were Germany
(up 61.8 percent), Italy (4.8 percent), Spain (17.8 percent),
the Netherlands (85.9 percent) and the UK (2.37 percent).
Portugal and Poland, listed in the top 10 EU importers of
Vietnamese tuna, even recorded a tremendous growth of 243.5 percent and
491.8 percent respectively.
However, exports of
fresh/frozen tuna and tuna fillet lost momentum in the third quarter,
with turnover decreasing by 1 percent from those reported in the same
period of 2012.
Experts said, in the context of the
decline of tuna catch, the intensification of processed tuna product
export to this market is a smart choice.
In the coming
time, when the Philippines, Thailand and Ecuador reach the
taxation incentive agreements on tuna export to EU, it will be hard for
Vietnam ’s products to compete with those from these countries.
Besides, the decline in Vietnam’s two large importers - the US
and Japan -, and the EU’s stricter regulations will also strongly
impact on Vietnam’s tuna export.
Industry experts
said the country’s tuna sector needs to work harder to improve products’
productivity and post-harvest quality to meet the harsh requirements of
importers.-VNA