Organizers deem Vietfish a success

The organizer of the 11th annual Vietfish International Fisheries Exhibition, held at the Saigon Exhibition Centre in Ho Chi Minh City from 12 to 14 June, is calling this year’s event a success.

The Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) said the event, which was well attended, attracted visitors from the United States, Europe, Russia, the Middle East and, of course, numerous Asian countries.

VASEP for months has been encouraging Vietnam’s seafood processors to create a stronger presence in regional and international markets, proactively secure new business and capitalize on Vietnam’s World Trade Organization membership, which the country obtained in January 2007.

This view was echoed by VASEP members during the Vietfish conference program; they said the industry is being adversely affected by the lack of real progress as a WTO member.

However, despite these drawbacks and the global economic downturn, Vietnam is expected to export 1.2 million metric tons of seafood valued at USD 4.5 billion (EUR 3.2 billion) this year, which would be on par with 2008.