The Centre for the Promotion of Imports from developing countries, CBI, has released reports on six countries that ship seafood products to the European Union. Asia is the EU’s largest seafood supplier and has grown exports exponentially in the last few years.
The CBI commissioned LEI Wageningen UR to explore whether the agency could support Asian countries with sustainable exports to the EU. The six countries CBI investigated are Vietnam, Indonesia, the Philippines, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
Some of the agency’s findings include a report on Vietnam’s seafood exports. Wageningen reports that, “Vietnamese exporters of prawns and pangasius are already well on their way to securing a good position on the international market. However, the Vietnamese seafood industry is having difficulty responding to the growing demand for sustainably produced fish.” The agency also mentioned that Vietnam has the potential for exporting lesser-known products such as oysters, muscles and cockles, which are becoming increasingly popular in the EU.
While Indonesian seafood companies continue to struggle with refrigeration and storage capacity after harvest, but the country’s processed seaweed has growth potential as a major export product.
The report also noted that Pakistan has good export potential, however trade sanctions have curtailed industry growth. “If the Pakistani government manages to guarantee sustainability, food safety and product quality, Pakistan could become a more important supplier to the European market.”
