Vietnam's Pangasius exports to Southeast Asia up 14.6 %

Thailand was the largest market, with shipments rising by 9.2 % year-on-year to $32.5 million. 

Thailand’s fisheries imports have risen sharply this year, especially of fish with white meat like catfish.

The Philippines has emerged as one of the biggest importers, with purchases rising steadily for months, VASEP said. Catfish exports to this market were worth $19 million, a 25 % increase from the same period last year.

Vietnam is the only supplier of white fish to the Philippines.

Last year, Vietnam organised for the first time a rice and pangasius – as catfish is also known - promotion festival in the Philippines, helping popularise its pangasius.

VASEP said exports of catfish to Malaysia are growing at the fastest rate in Southeast Asia.

In the first five months, pangasius exports to Malaysia were worth $18.8 million, an increase of 47.3 % from the same period last year, it said, explaining that the market has huge potential.

Malaysia also imports white meat fish from China, the US, the UK, France, and others, but Việt Nam is the largest supplier.

According to many businesses, Southeast Asia is a market that needs to be paid focus on besides traditional markets such as the US, the EU, China, Japan, and South Korea.

Export target

The country’s overall catfish exports in the first five months were worth $690 million, slightly less than in the same period last year, with China, the US and EU accounting for 53 %, VASEP said.

Exports to the US are down due to anti-dumping duties and other trade barriers while China’s changing import policies have affected shipments to that country.

However, exports to the EU increased for the first time in a long time, rising by 31.5 %to $105.2 million.

Truong Dinh Hoe, VASEP general secretary, attributed the increase to businesses’ efforts to ensure quality and promote their products.  

According to the association, the catfish export target for this year is $2.4 billion, a 12 % increase from last year.

Exports to Japan, the US and China are showing signals of recovery, while exports to the EU are expected to keep increasing thanks to the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement.

In the event, it would not be difficult to achieve the export target this year, he said.

Source: VietnamNews