Export enterprises overcome difficulties

TAKE ADVANTAGE, FIND NEW MARKETS

Nguyen Duy An, Deputy General Director of Kien Giang Trading Joint Stock Company and Director of KTC Canned Food Factory (KTCFOOD), said that canned food exports are facing difficulties due to the pressure of raw material shortages and the European Commission's yellow card application to Vietnamese seafood. In addition, there is fierce competition from companies in the same industry in the region, especially the Philippines and Thailand (countries with strengths in canned tuna and GSP tax incentives).

Domestically, many regulations have not been revised, making it difficult to confirm the origin of raw materials, the price of supply materials fluctuates unpredictably, import quotas and technical barriers are increasingly established in large markets. KTCFOOD faces high transportation costs and fierce competition from traditional markets.

Processing shrimp for export at Kien Cuong Import-Export Seafood Processing Joint Stock Company, Tac Cau fishing port area (Chau Thanh). Photo: KIEU DIEM

Faced with challenges, KTCFOOD takes advantage of advantages, effectively exploits incentives and policies from the Government for the seafood industry, especially tariff incentives from free trade agreements such as the Vietnam - EU Free Trade Agreement, the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. KTCFOOD proactively expands to new markets, especially value-added markets, potential markets to disperse trade risks, fully exploits tuna export quotas to markets such as Canada, Chile, etc.

Quickly adapting to changes in the international market, KTCFOOD reinvests in production technology, improves quality, and meets the needs and standards of importing countries. Thanks to investment in quality control systems and strict traceability processes, the products meet food safety standards, building trust from international customers. In the first two months of 2025, KTCFOOD's exports reached 3.8 million USD, with revenue of nearly 100 billion VND, up 4% over the same period in 2024.

Workers at KTC Canned Food Factory, Tac Cau Fishing Port (Chau Thanh) carry out the process of labeling canned fish. Photo: KIEU DIEM

In recent times, Thai Binh Kien Giang Joint Stock Company (TBS Kien Giang) has been constantly searching for and developing new customers. Recently, in response to the news that the US has increased import taxes on a number of countries, TBS Kien Giang has quickly sought and established relationships with new partners from the US, increasing export output to this demanding but potential market. The company has restructured its organization, arranged its personnel scientifically, modernized its production lines and improved its workers' skills. From 2024 to present, the company has maintained its export turnover, ensuring an average income of 7.6 million VND/month for its workers.

Realizing the decrease in demand from export markets, Kien Cuong Import Export Seafood Processing Joint Stock Company (Chau Thanh) quickly changed its structure and diversified its products to reach new markets and new customers. The company always focuses on producing quality products, ensuring delivery time, taking good care of traditional customers and finding new customers.

Processing squid for export at Kien Cuong Seafood Processing Import-Export Joint Stock Company, Tac Cau fishing port (Chau Thanh). Photo: THANH NHA

Faced with a shortage of raw materials, Kien Cuong Import-Export Seafood Processing Joint Stock Company purchases raw materials at a price 10-15% higher to ensure stable production even though costs will increase. Chairman of the Board of Directors and Director of Kien Cuong Import-Export Seafood Processing Joint Stock Company Nguyen Quang Minh said that the company closely monitors each stage from preliminary processing to finished products, ensuring that the products leaving the factory are of high quality.

In addition, the company has a preferential policy for long-term, highly skilled workers. To ensure the lives of workers, in addition to regularly adjusting salaries to suit the actual situation, the company increases food allowances, supports gas money, reduces electricity and water bills for officers and employees in the company's dormitory area and implements other policies according to the company's regulations and the law.

ACTIVELY SUPPORT BUSINESSES

According to the Department of Industry and Trade of Kien Giang province, in the first two months of 2025, the province's export turnover reached 148.37 million USD, an increase of 25.22% over the same period in 2024. The province's main export items such as seafood, leather shoes, and rice all increased. Enterprises actively expanded and sought markets, and the number of orders remained stable. Director of the Department of Industry and Trade of Kien Giang province Truong Van Minh said that this result clearly reflected the steadfastness of Kien Giang's export enterprises in "surviving the waves" amid global trade fluctuations.

In addition to the internal strength of export enterprises, an indispensable factor is the active support and companionship from functional agencies and local authorities. Functional agencies in the province have implemented a series of policies to remove difficulties from simplifying administrative procedures, supporting market connections, promoting trade to programs to support loans, tax and fee incentives for enterprises.

Leather shoe production at Thai Binh Kien Giang Joint Stock Company, Thanh Loc Industrial Park (Chau Thanh). Photo: KIEU DIEM

According to Director of the Department of Industry and Trade Truong Van Minh, the world situation is forecasted to have many potential fluctuations. However, this is the time for Kien Giang enterprises to accelerate, break through, and seek international markets. To maintain their competitive advantage, enterprises need to continue to invest heavily in advanced production technology, improve corporate governance capacity, train high-quality human resources, and increase their ability to comply with international standards on environment, society, and corporate governance.

The industry and trade sector continues to implement many solutions to promote export activities, contributing to achieving the target of 1.2 billion USD in export value in 2025. The province will support and remove difficulties, help businesses stabilize production, boost exports, especially key industries, and encourage businesses to directly participate in foreign distribution networks in Kien Giang. At the same time, deploy plans to implement free trade agreements and import-export strategies until 2030 in the province, improving the effectiveness of international economic integration.

The province supports enterprises to participate in foreign trade promotion programs organized by the Ministry of Industry and Trade to help enterprises exploit and take advantage of opportunities from the Vietnam - EU Free Trade Agreement, the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, expand new markets, and boost exports. The functional sector closely monitors developments in domestic and foreign markets, promptly proposes to the Provincial People's Committee to remove difficulties, support enterprises to boost production, business and export.

In the first two months of 2025, Kien Giang's main export items all increased significantly compared to the same period in 2024; of which seafood reached 36.19 million USD, up 16.39%; leather shoes reached 38.09 million USD, up 6.82%; rice reached 20.35 million USD, up 5.09%...

Charming - Elegant

Source: https://www.baokiengiang.vn/kinh-te/doanh-nghiep-xuat-khau-vuot-kho-25090.html