Outlook brightens for tra producers
HA NOI (VNS)— Orders for Vietnamese tra fish from European Union (EU) countries are gradually increasing after a long time of gloom, said the general secretary for the Viet Nam Association for Seafood Exporters and Producers.
According to general secretary Truong Dinh Hoe, the EU remained one of the main importers of Viet Nam’s tra fish, in large part due to the reasonable export price of Vietnamese fish in contrast to seafood from other countries.
Additionally, he said the export price of Vietnamese tra fish to the EU has been rising as consumers demanded quality products, bringing the selling price up.
In the past few years, more and more Vietnamese seafood exporters have met EU standards for farmed tra fish.
Recently, five more domestic tra fish producers and processors received the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC)’s aquaculture production certificate, bringing the number of local firms with ASC certification to 13.
In order to obtain this recognition, a tra fish producer or breeder must meet certain criteria on their environment and social impact, such as engaging in responsible land and water usage and minimising water pollution.
Last year, Viet Nam exported US$425 million worth of tra fish to the EU, a decrease of 19 per cent in value compared with the previous year, according to the association’s statistics.
The association and local seafood exporters were heavily promoting future tra fish exports to the EU, Hoe said.
Additionally, the association would cooperate with ministries and other sectors to organise seminars advertising Vietnamese tra fish at large trade fairs in Europe.
“The adverts will include information about products as well as the production process, from raising the fish to packaging the finished products for export,” he said. — VNS