Seafood exports in 2021 are expected to reach $8.4 billion

Sharing at the conference "Organizing safe fishing, preventing Covid-19 epidemic and implementing tasks in the last months of the year" organized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) on the morning of 22nd. On October 10, Mr. Nguyen Hoai Nam - Deputy Secretary General of VASEP - said that in the first nine months of 2021, seafood export turnover reached approximately US$6.2 billion, an increase of more than 2.9% over the same period last year. . The reason is that the decline in seafood exports in the last 3 months has dragged down the export growth momentum of the whole industry.

The high price of seafood, especially shrimp, is an opportunity for the seafood industry to overcome difficulties and reach the finish line

Assessing the export market, Mr. Nguyen Hoai Nam said that with efforts in vaccination and market opening, the US and EU markets have recovered quite quickly. Besides, the Australian and Russian markets, after a period of being affected by the Covid-19 epidemic, have so far increased demand, due to the decrease in domestic output of these markets. These are favorable factors for the industry.

However, domestic and ocean freight rates add significantly to the entire production chain, and affect costs. On the other hand, some markets have increased measures, which affect seafood export turnover. According to VASEP's statistics as of October 20, in the provinces that currently have a key fisheries sector, the rate of vaccination with the second dose is still very low. Meanwhile, this is a condition to open the market and participate in circulation. These are the disadvantages.

Currently, some forecast that seafood exports will recover from October 2021 when many southern provinces and cities gradually relax social distancing. After the provinces eased the distance, businesses in the West quickly restored production, most seafood factories reached over 70% of working capacity compared to before the Covid-19 epidemic. This is the time when enterprises produce to meet year-end demand from major import markets. With high demand from the US and EU, seafood exports in the last months of the year are expected to recover strongly.

However, according to Mr. Nam, although the room for the export market is very large and export turnover can reach 8.9 billion USD, however, in the past 3 months due to the impact of Covid-19 affecting the production and export activities. Even at the present time, although localities have moved to comply with Resolution No. 128 of the Government with the motto of redirecting the epidemic prevention and control strategy to "safe adaptation, flexibility, effective control, etc. Covid-19 pandemic", however, the recovery speed of businesses will not be fast.

Based on the actual situation, with the efforts of businesses and management agencies to have raw materials and labor, Mr. Nam said that this year's seafood export turnover is about 8.4 billion USD, at the same time. proposes the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to consult with localities in the coming time to speed up the progress of vaccine coverage 2. There are many policies to "energize businesses, however, the implementation is not fast, even creating frustration for businesses. “Policy to support 1 million dong for workers in “3-on-the-spot” production sites and industrial parks. However, there are conditions that apply to factories located in the locality implementing Directive 16/CT-TTg in the whole province. In fact, very few localities have implemented Directive 16 across the province,” said Mr. Nam.

Facing difficulties in capital, lack of labor force, transportation, etc., it is suggested that priority should be given to Covid-19 vaccination for workers and fishermen working in the fishing supply chain. production to maintain production.

Le Van Su - Vice Chairman of Ca Mau Provincial People's Committee, also suggested that there should be more policies to support production recovery after the Covid-19 epidemic, to help overcome difficulties for organizations and individuals in the supply chain. Aquaculture is affected by the Covid-19 epidemic.

In 2021, the seafood industry sets a target of export turnover of 8.8 billion USD. Mr. Phung Duc Tien - Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development - affirmed that the market signal is very good for seafood products, especially at the end of the year and Christmas. On the other hand, the high price of seafood, especially shrimp, is an opportunity for the seafood industry to overcome difficulties and reach the finish line. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development will direct the establishments to immediately overcome the supply chain breakdown to ensure production and export targets.