Vietnamese firms capitalise on UKVFTA to promote exports to UK hinh anh 1Vietnamese enterprises should be well-prepared to enhance shipments to the UK. (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnamese enterprises should be well-prepared to enhance shipments to the UK, particularly after the UK-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement took effect on December 31, 2020, according to insiders.

Statistics from the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) showed that Vietnam exported some 355 million USD worth of seafood to the UK market in 2020, particularly shipments of tra fish surging 15 times as compared to 2019.

Chairman and General Director of Nha Trang Seaproduct Company Ngo Van Ich said that the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union (EU) did not impact Vietnamese exports, and this relished exciting prospects for shipments in 2021.

This is a wonderful opportunity for Vietnamese exporters since the UK’s import tariffs are the same as those of the EU while the country’s demand for seafood imports is expected to be stable or even increase in the coming time, Ich said.

In a bid to tape advantages from the free trade deal to the fullest extent, VASEP Deputy General Secretary Nguyen Hai Nam suggested local firms need to work to gain competitive edge over their competitors, improve production and business capacity, as well as apply science-technology to increase value of their products.

Besides, they should obey the rules of origin, enhance supervision over the use of antibiotic in processing, and ensure food safety to meet requirements of the importers, he recommended./.
VNA