The creation and development of a powerful brand name will help the “tra” fish sector secure a firm foothold in export outlets, especially the European Union (EU), suggested experts.
The creation and development of a powerful brand name will help the “tra” fish sector secure a firm foothold in export outlets, especially the European Union (EU), suggested experts.
Deputy Head of the General Department of Fisheries Pham Anh Tuan said the EU is an important market for the tra fish industry. The recent reduction in imports from the market reflects economic recession, but EU countries still need Vietnamese tra fish products in the long run, he added.
Alfons van Buivenbode from the EU’s Centre for the Promotion of Imports from Developing Countries said European customers are concerned about genuine nutrition information and ingredients of the product on the labels and packaging, including the code to trace the origin of the product, from Vietnamese processing and export firms.
Determining the optimal pricing is also important, according to Director of the Cleaner Production Centre under the Hanoi University of Science and Technology Le Xuan Thinh.
He suggested businesses study technology transfer to farmers to reduce production costs, citing up to 80 percent of food material for tra fish are imported from overseas.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the Vietnam Fisheries Association Nguyen Viet Thang recommended enterprises diversify processed products to increase competitiveness.
Thang highlighted the need for the tra fish sector to satisfy consumer requirements to stand firm in both easy-going and choosy markets.
Currently, Vietnamese tra fish products are being sold in 128 markets, nine markets fewer than last year.
According to the General Department of Customs, seafood export turnover had reached over 3.84 billion USD by August this year with shrimp, tra fish and bivalve mollus as staple products.
As of the mid-July 2015, the tra fish sector alone had grossed 814.67 million USD from exports, a year-on-year decline of 8.8 percent.
Major markets such as the US, EU, China, other ASEAN member states, Mexico, Colombia, Canada and Australia made up over 72 percent of the sector’s total export value.
Among the markets, only the UK increased its imports of Vietnamese tra fish to 25 million USD, up 41 percent over the same period last year.
Some have attributed the decline to the sector’s failure to build a brand name and improve the quality of its products.
Deputy Director of the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers Le Hang cited regional economic downturn and EUR and USD exchange rate fluctuations as reasons behind dwindling tra fish exports in the first half of this year.
Additionally, consumer demand has yet to recover, she said, adding that the tra fish sector itself is facing fierce competition from other native fish.-VNA
A forum was held in Ho Chi Minh City on August 6 to seek to earn a sustainable niche for Vietnam’s pangasius (tra) fish in the European Union now that the shipments of such product to the market have plunged.
Tra fish exports in the first nine months of this year increased 0.2 percent to over 1.27 billion USD against the same period last year, according to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Processors (VASEP).
Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Vu Van Tam has urged tra fish processors and exporters to tighten quality control over fish fry at farms and input materials to meet international quality standards in the context of forecast difficulties for tra fish export next year.
Larger investments in processed technology are key to the growth of the tra fish business, the industry’s association chairman, Nguyen Viet Thang, proclaimed at a recent workshop in the Mekong Delta province of Can Tho.
The festival marks a significant milestone in promoting the brand, value, and legacy of traditional fish sauce - a product deeply rooted in the island’s identity and history spanning over 200 years.
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Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien acknowledged that despite concerted efforts by ministries and local authorities in combating fake and substandard goods, the situation remains highly complicated, attributing the persistent challenges to high profits luring numerous participants, increasingly sophisticated violations, limited resources within enforcement agencies.
The group also placed among the Top 5 energy companies in Southeast Asia and secured the top spot among the largest Vietnamese enterprises featured on the list.
The zone will cover 1,881 ha, comprising functional areas for production, logistics, trade and services, digital technology industry, information technology, and innovation.
Dung underlined several key objectives, including a comprehensive review of the legal framework governing SOEs, and called for updates that reflect international standards and support modern, transparent governance.
While the US market has become more difficult to access due to new tax policies, Australia could play the role of a trade cushion, helping to reduce shocks and maintain export momentum for Vietnam's shrimp industry.
Vietnam Cycle Expo 2025 will coincide with the Vietnam Sport Show 2025, an international exhibition on sports and outdoor entertainment, expected to attract more than 20,000 visitors in the three-day event.
Processing "tra" fish for exports (Photo: VNA)
