Promising prospects for Tra producers
Orders for Vietnam Tra fish from European Union (EU) countries are gradually increasing after a long gloomy period, said the General Secretary of the Vietnam Association for Seafood Exporters and Producers.
According to general secretary Truong Dinh Hoe, the EU remained one of the major importers of Vietnam’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, driving the selling price up.
An increasing number of 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 of breeders must meet certain criteria on their environment and social impact, such as engaging in responsible land and water usage and minimizing water pollution.
In 2012, Vietnam exported US$425 million worth of Tra fish to the EU, a decrease of 19 percent in value compared to 2011, according to the association’s statistics.
The association and local seafood exporters are heavily promoting future Tra fish exports to the EU, Hoe said.
The association will cooperate with ministries and other sectors to organize seminars advertising Vietnamese Tra fish 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.