A difficult year for seafood exports.

Due to the impact of the recession and inflation in some major import markets, many orders have been cut, input material prices have increased, and Vietnam has not yet had the IUU "yellow card" lifted. Many seafood export businesses in the province, although showing some improvement, are still facing this situation and it is expected to continue into 2024.

Difficulties arising from trade barriers.

Currently, there are 31 enterprises in the province (24 enterprises processing frozen and dried seafood, 6 enterprises processing fish sauce, and 1 enterprise processing canned goods) that directly export or export products through consignment to foreign markets such as the EU, South Korea, China, Japan, the US, ASEAN, and the Middle East. The province's main export items include dried and frozen seafood of all kinds, sushi, sashimi, and surimi (fish cakes). Most of the directly exporting enterprises are interested in investing in and equipping themselves with suitable production machinery to produce value-added seafood products, contributing to the province's seafood export revenue.

Processing seafood for export. Photo: N.Lân

Since the beginning of 2023, the unstable global situation, slow global economic recovery, and high inflation in some countries have led to a decrease in demand for Vietnamese seafood and imports. In addition, many countries have implemented policies to strengthen protection of their domestic products and have not yet lifted the EC's "yellow card," all of which have affected the country's seafood exports, including Binh Thuan province. In 2023, the province's export turnover reached US$714.44 million, of which seafood accounted for US$214.77 million, representing 30.06% of the total, achieving 82.6% of the plan, a decrease of 14.1% compared to the previous year.

Producing fish sauce for export.

In response to this situation, the Department of Industry and Trade has developed and organized trade promotion programs and plans, supporting the Binh Thuan Fisheries Association and seafood processing and export businesses in the province to participate in activities under the National Trade Promotion Program and the Provincial Trade Promotion Program to promote and introduce brands and products to consumers. This helps businesses find partners, develop distribution systems, and expand markets for seafood products.

Simultaneously, the Department coordinated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, and the Trade Promotion Agency to organize trade promotion programs and online business networking events: a seminar on promoting seafood exports to the Australian market; the Vietnam-EU Trade Forum; and an online conference connecting consumption and promoting the export of agricultural and aquatic products in the Southern and Central Highlands regions. Through these events, seafood processing and exporting businesses in the province have the opportunity to learn about and connect business opportunities with purchasing agents, distribution systems, and importers, expanding their consumer markets. In addition, the Department has worked with Tu Son Supermarket on promoting and expanding the consumer market for OCOP products, typical rural industrial products, and characteristic products of the province (including seafood products).

Fish sauce producers in the province have moved their products to e-commerce platforms. Photo: NL

Orientation for 2024

In particular, the province has actively applied e-commerce in product consumption. It has supported 7 seafood processing and export businesses to participate in the "Electronic Traceability Solutions for OCOP Products in Binh Thuan, Typical Rural Industries and Special Strengths of Binh Thuan Province" project. To date, 50 seafood products from these businesses have been assigned QR codes. In addition, it has supported the listing of seafood processing and export businesses in the province on the e-commerce platform of the Industry and Trade sector of the three provinces of Binh Thuan, Ninh Thuan, and Lam Dong, such as: Black Fish Co., Ltd., Muoi Tuyen Co., Ltd., Di Muoi Tiep Fish Sauce Production Facility, Phan Thiet Seafood Co., Ltd., Dam Sen Seafood Processing and Trading Co., Ltd., and Ba Hai Fish Sauce Co., Ltd. In 2023, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development established two safe food supply chains for seafood, bringing the total to 46 chains with an annual output of approximately 58,036 tons of safe seafood products under control. It also supported four facilities in obtaining HACCP certification, bringing the cumulative total to 54 facilities certified with advanced quality management systems according to ISO/HACCP standards. This contributes to a stable supply of raw materials and ensures food safety and traceability for processing and export.

Supporting businesses that process high value-added seafood products. (Photo: N. Lan)

Forecasting continued difficulties in seafood exports next year, provincial departments and agencies have planned to support the processing of high-value-added seafood products, diversifying product lines to penetrate major export markets more deeply and broadly. They will also strengthen the dissemination of information to businesses regarding economic conditions, market information, technical barriers from importing countries, and regulations on quarantine, quality control, and food safety, enabling businesses to orient their production development to suit market demands. Furthermore, they will continue to support businesses in participating in large-scale, high-quality domestic and international trade fairs in important export markets, potential markets, and markets where Vietnam has signed Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), as well as exploring new markets for seafood products. Providing guidance and support to seafood processing and export businesses to participate in seafood value chains, thereby enabling them to utilize policies to invest in and renovate factories, apply science and technology to develop products and enhance competitiveness in the market…

At the same time, support is provided to businesses to develop and participate in e-commerce platforms, helping them connect and promote their products on domestic and international e-commerce platforms such as Shopee.vn, Tiki.vn, Lazada.vn, TikTokShop, Alibaba, etc.

Source: https://baobinhthuan.com.vn/mot-nam-kho-khan-cho-xuat-khau-thuy-san-116667.html