Vietnamese catfish exports. (CL-FISH)
Seafood producers and exporters hope to benefit from TPP
VIET NAM
Wednesday, February 10, 2016, 02:10 (GMT + 9)
Several leaders of the Vietnamese fisheries sector predict the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP) recently signed will boost seafood exports from Vietnam to the United States, Japan and other block members.
In 2015, Vietnamese seafood exporters faced many difficulties and challenges. Total exports reached only USD 6.7 billion, figure that represented a drop of about 15 per cent compared to 2014, Vietnam News informed.
According to Duong Ngoc Minh, chairman of VASEP Freshwater Fish Committee, said that investment in export and processing technology to meet the local demand was one of the important parts of the TPP agreement.
The head of the Association and the chair of VASEP Shrimp Committee, Le Van Quang, agreed on that the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development needed to closely improve development and the support policies to meet with requirements of the global market.
On his part, Truong Dinh Hoe, VASEP general secretary, stressed that for shrimp exports to the US, exporters must follow Best Aquaculture Practices standards (BAP), Aquaculture Stewardship Council Standards (ASC) and the Marine Stewardship Council’s Chain of Custody (CoC) Standard.
According to Nguyen Phuoc Buu Huy, deputy general director of Cadovimex II Export Processing and Fisheries JSC, his company had invested in an export and processing line equipped with BAP standards.
The firm also invited experts from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to evaluate ponds, breed, feed and processing plants.
By doing so, the executive strongly believes that his company is ready to meet the strict requirements of clients from the US, Japan and other markets.
On the other hand, Nguyen Phuoc Buu Huy insisted on that exporters must find more markets instead of exporting their products to only one market to avoid risks in business such as technical barriers and strict hygiene regulations from importers.
The TPP agreement has set a new standard for global trade while taking up next-generation issues.
Some of its initiatives include: Eliminating or reducing tariff and non-tariff barriers across substantially all trade in goods and services; creating and supporting jobs, raising living standards, enhancing conservation efforts; promoting innovation, productivity, and competitiveness; developing all size businesses and integrating economies across the Asia-Pacific region.
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Photo Courtesy of FIS Member CL-Fish Corp., Ltd. - Cuu Long Fish JSC
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