Tuna exports could reach US$300 million this year

The Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) is aiming for a 4.5 per cent rise in tuna exports for 2011, at 120,000 tonnes worth USD 300 million, which would be an increase of 16,400 tonnes and USD 13 million compared to last year.

In the eastern Atlantic Ocean region, the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna (ICCAT) agreed to a 40 per cent-cut in the bluefin tuna catch, and the Commission for the Conservation of Southern Bluefin Tuna (CCSBT) will slash catches by 20 per cent in 2011.

VASEP is hoping the cuts to international bluefin tuna fishing that were recently agreed to will lead to better earnings for the country’s yellowfin tuna industry. Consequently, now is a good time for Vietnamese exporters, as the nation mostly exports yellowfin tuna.

Tuna exporters will concentrate on boosting the quality of their tuna products, developing the national tuna brand and diversify their products, told VASEP expert Nguyen Minh Tam, Viet Nam News reports.

In late 2010, the Vietnam Tuna Association was created to connect fishers and enterprises, and improve the sustainable development and branding of the country’s tuna products, she continued.

Based in Nha Trang in central Khanh Hoa Province, the association, called Vinatuna, will also aid its members in the employment of modern technologies to raise the quality and output of tuna and cut their production costs, so as to be able to compete both regionally and globally, reports Thanhniennews.

As well, the association would build up modern tuna trawler crews to meet global standards. From January through November 2010, the fisheries industry saw a year-on-year rise of 49.5 per cent in tuna exports and a 62 per cent boom in value compared to 2009.

This growth was facilitated by high export prices for tuna plus high demand, Tam said. The average annual export prices year-on-year were recorded at a jump of 8 per cent to USD 3.49 per kg for Vietnam’s tuna products last year.

Also last year, the U.S. imported 35,000 tonnes of tuna products worth USD 135 million through November. Exports escalated by 54.6 per cent in volume and 94.6 per cent in value versus 2009.

In terms of exports to the European Union (EU), Vietnam exported 170,000 tonnes worth USD 62 million in the same period of 2010.

Large tuna fishing fleets operate in the provinces of Quang Nam, Binh Dinh, Khanh Hoa and Phu Yen.

Feb 8^th, 2011

Source: vneconomynews.com