Vietnam is trying to increase shipments of seafood, mostly pangasius, to Brazil as sales to the largest country in South America are on the decline.
The Southeast Asian nation exported seafood worth USD 34.3 million (EUR 29.5 million) to Brazil in the first five months of 2018, down 32.1 percent from USD 50.5 million (EUR 43.4 million) a year ago, data from Vietnam Customs showed.
Most of the sales value in the period came from pangasius exports, with USD 34.1 million (EUR 29.3 million), or 99.4 percent of the total, 31.9 percent lower year-on-year.
The falling export value was a surprise as last year, Vietnam gained USD 104.7 million (EUR 90 million) from pangasius exports to Brazil, up 54 percent from 2016, according to Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP).
Exporters from Vietnam said their shipments of seafood products to Brazil now face various difficulties due to the latter’s strict sanitary regulations and technical barriers to protect their domestic producers, Vietnam News Agency reported.
Many exporters from Vietnam, however, remain upbeat on exports to Brazil. They said sales of high-quality pangasius products of low rate of ice-glazing to Brazil continue to rise despite the decline of the other products.
Brazil is an important market for Vietnam pangasius exporters. Sales to the country are expected to rebound later this year, said VASEP.
During a working visit to Brazil in early July, Vietnam’s Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue said pangasius from Vietnam has proved its certified quality, surpassing the most difficult market barriers worldwide. He asked the Brazilian government to create favorable conditions for Vietnamese companies to export their pangasius products to the country. In return, Vietnam will consider importing more beef and soybeans from Brazil.
Brazilian companies also expressed interest in importing other seafood products from Vietnam, including shrimp and tuna, Vietnam News Agency reported.
The Department of Animal Health under Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on 25 June asked VASEP to point out difficulties facing Vietnamese enterprises in exporting aquatic products to Brazil.
In a response, VASEP Vice General Secretary To Thi Tuong Lan said on 11 July the department should help seafood firms update Brazil's import regulations as quickly as possible, and identify risks related to trade protection. It is necessary to prove that shrimp from Vietnam do not pose any infection risk to shrimp in importing countries, she added.
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