Vietnam’s tuna export turnover reached 216 million USD in the first five months of 2017, a year-on-year rise of 20 percent.

The strong growth was recorded in canned tuna products (35 percent) and frozen tuna (11 percent), reported the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP).

Vietnam is exporting tuna to 79 countries and territories across the globe, with the US and EU being traditional major markets.

Despite the impressive growth, tuna exports are encountering some difficulties in raw materials and import duties in some key markets.

Therefore, VASEP has proposed the Directorate of Fisheries under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development develop fishing that uses purse seines.

It suggested the Directorate of Fisheries and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development work with the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) to soon reach an agreement with the EU on the specific quota for tuna exports to the market.

VASEP also requested the MoIT consider reducing tariffs on tuna exports to Japan to zero percent like Thailand and the Philippines to improve the competitiveness of Vietnamese products.

Source: VNA Date: 2017-06-08