HCM City (VNS/VNA) - The Vietnam Association of Seafood Producersand Exporters (VASEP) said it plans several measures to help its membersfurther penetrate the global supply chain and enable the fisheries sector toreach its export target of 12 billion USD in 2025, 40 percent higher than thisyear.

The target was announced at VASEP’s sixth congress held in HCM City on December22 to review its 2015-20 activities and make plans for 2020-25.

Truong Dinh Hoe, VASEP general secretary, said despite difficulties due tounfavourable weather, trade barriers such as anti-dumping taxes on shrimp andtra fish in the US and the EU’s ‘yellow card’ for illegal, unreported andunregulated fishing, and others, Vietnam’s seafood exports increased by 2.5 percenton average in the last five years and it now ranks in the top three in theworld with China and Norway.

The COVID-19 pandemic reduced exports significantly in the first half of thisyear, but they have recovered since July. The export this year is estimated toreach 8.58 billion USD, equal the figure of last year.

Trade deals such as the EU-Vietnam FTA, CPTPP and others with major marketssuch as the Republic of Korea, Japan, and ASEAN have helped Vietnamese seafoodproducts become competitive in those markets, he said.

During the last five years the association worked with the Government toadvocate sound policies, created business opportunities for its members throughexhibitions and trade promotions and diversified the operation of its productcommittees, he said.

Talking about the new term, he said, “The association will work to achieve theexport target of 12 billion USD by 2025, increase to 300 members from thecurrent 160 and increase connectivity among them.”

The shrimp committee would work to reduce production cost, improve productcompetitiveness, enable traceability, and enhance processing to add value tothe products.

Vietnam’s shrimp exports are expected to exceed one million tonnes by 2025,helping it surpass India to become the world’s largest exporter, he said.

The association also plans to work to promote consumption of shrimp and otherseafood in the domestic market, he said.

The marine product committee would seek to increase export to markets withwhich Vietnam has FTAs, and the association is striving to get rid of the EC’syellow card as soon as possible and diversify raw material sources, he said.

With this five-year strategic vision, the association wants to make the seafoodsector to improve profitability and value addition for the industry, andpromote the Vietnamese seafood brand globally, he added.

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Quoc Doanh hailed theassociation’s contribution to the country’s economic development over the lastyear.

“The agri-forestry-fishery sector is one the country’s key economic sectorswith its exports estimated to reach 41.2 billion USD this year. Of this,seafood accounted for 8.5 billion USD.

“The 14 FTAs the country has signed will open the door wide for the sector toboost exports.”

But the sector also faces shortcomings and challenges like small scale ofproduction, erratic raw material supply and trade barriers, he warned.

He urged the sector to focus on resolving these issues, getting the EC to liftits yellow card soon and increasing the processing rate to add value to itsproducts.

Vietnamese seafood is exported to over 160 markets around the world, with theUS, Japan, the EU, China, the Republic of Korea, and ASEAN being the largest.

VASEP received the Emulation Flag from the Ministries of Agriculture and RuralDevelopment and Industry and Trade for its achievements over past years.

The congress elected a 31-member executive board and re-elected Ngo Van Ich asthe association chairman for the 2020-25 term./.