The ecosystem of utilizing FTAs in the fisheries sector helps businesses optimize benefits from FTAs; promotes cooperation between management agencies and businesses.
On the morning of November 18, in Tam Ky City, the Multilateral Trade Policy Department - Ministry of Industry and Trade coordinated with the Department of Industry and Trade of Quang Nam province to hold a Dialogue with business leaders in provinces and cities about the ecosystem to take advantage of FTAs, including the EVFTA Agreement in the fisheries sector in Quang Nam.
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| Discussion with business leaders about the Ecosystem of utilizing FTAs, including the FTA Agreement in the fisheries sector in Quang Nam province |
At the conference, Mr. Huong Van Minh - Deputy Director of the Department of Industry and Trade of Quang Nam province informed that in recent times, the Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) that Vietnam has signed have contributed positively to the import and export of goods in the country in general and Quang Nam province in particular, achieving positive results. Enterprises have taken advantage of many advantages to promote trade activities, bring products and goods to many large markets in the world, promote production and business activities, and expand the market.
In Quang Nam province, according to the representative of the Department of Industry and Trade of Quang Nam province, the import and export activities of the seafood sector in the province are gradually improving and increasing in proportion. According to data from the Quang Nam Customs Department, in the period of 2020-2023, the export turnover reached 88 million USD, achieving a growth rate of 2.5%/year, in the first 8 months of 2024, the export turnover reached over 15 million USD. In which, the focus is on exporting the following items: Octopus, frozen seafood cakes, various types of fish, squid, frozen shrimp, tuna steak, seasoned dried fish, etc. to the markets of China, Australia, Korea, Japan, Hong Kong (China), Thailand, etc.
However, Quang Nam's seafood industry still faces many difficulties such as small export scale; seafood exports are mainly processed seafood; seafood infrastructure has not been invested in modern technology; the added value of the seafood industry is still low; there are only a few seafood enterprises with high-tech application models for shrimp products; seafood enterprises still lack linkages; ...
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| Mr. Huong Van Minh - Deputy Director of Department of Industry and Trade of Quang Nam province |
Mr. Huong Van Minh said that in the coming time, Quang Nam province will gradually increase aquaculture; invest in building infrastructure for high-tech, modern aquaculture areas; form a production and consumption chain between enterprises and aquaculture households; increase exports to European and American markets to take advantage of the benefits from the CPTPP, EVFTA, UKVFTA agreements... " Through the discussion, the Department of Industry and Trade of Quang Nam province hopes to bring useful information to relevant units in the field of seafood processing and export. At the same time, build an ecosystem to jointly solve difficulties and obstacles, maximize opportunities, limit risks from FTAs to develop production, and promote the export of goods", said Mr. Huong Van Minh.
At the program, delegates were updated on existing issues in the fisheries industry and Vietnam's seafood exports to FTA partner markets (focusing on CPTPP, EU, and UK markets); were introduced to the Ecosystem for taking advantage of FTAs, including raising issues, outlining methods, construction roadmaps, and benefits from building and operating the Ecosystem for taking advantage of FTAs; and discussed and contributed ideas on the contents of developing a plan to operate the Ecosystem for taking advantage of FTAs for the fisheries sector.
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| Ms. Nguyen Thuy Linh - Department of International Cooperation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development informed about the existing problems of the fisheries industry and the export of Vietnamese fisheries to FTA partner markets. |
Assessing the difficulties, challenges, opportunities and advantages for the Vietnamese seafood industry, Ms. Nguyen Thuy Linh - Department of International Cooperation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development said that in seafood export activities, Vietnamese and international enterprises must grasp 4 main factors: Competition (competition in price, quality, market share), defense measures (anti-dumping, subsidies, tax evasion); market information and capacity; supply (supply competition, sustainable cooperation). The factor to distinguish these factors between Vietnamese and international enterprises is international relations - the catalyst.
In particular, in terms of competitiveness, Vietnamese seafood enterprises have a great advantage with an increasingly high position in the international arena. In addition, Vietnam is also a country with the world's leading economic openness and international economic integration with 20 FTAs that have been negotiated and implemented. Vietnam also has the advantage of low labor costs and increasingly favorable procedures. However, Vietnamese seafood enterprises still face difficulties and challenges related to transportation costs, the ability to preserve Vietnamese seafood products is still sketchy and limited; small scale, small and weak financial capacity; input materials are still difficult, and production costs are still high.
To take advantage of and promote the advantages of FTAs in the fisheries sector, Ms. Nguyen Thi Thuy Linh said that it is necessary to resolve the above difficulties and shortcomings. In particular, it is necessary to reduce costs through renovation and modernization of transportation and other logistics, especially focusing on traceability of aquatic products; aiming for antibiotic self-sufficiency; proactively sourcing input materials; having credit support policies such as diversifying products, credit resources, ensuring criteria for easy access to loans, and amending Decree 67.
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| Mr. Ngo Chung Khanh - Deputy Director of Multilateral Trade Policy Department, Ministry of Industry and Trade |
Mr. Ngo Chung Khanh - Deputy Director of the Multilateral Trade Policy Department said that Vietnam is negotiating, signing and implementing 20 free trade agreements (FTAs), 16/20 of which have been implemented. Currently, many industries have not taken advantage of incentives from FTAs, including the fisheries sector. To support businesses in taking advantage of and promoting the effectiveness of FTAs, the Ministry of Industry and Trade is building an FTA ecosystem to connect 4 parties: Central management agencies; local management agencies; enterprises, business associations, credit institutions; people, cooperatives (aquaculture farmers, cooperatives, etc.). The goal of the Ecosystem is to take advantage of FTAs in the fisheries sector to help businesses optimize benefits from FTAs; build a culture of connection and cooperation; promote cooperation between management agencies and businesses.
| The FTA Ecosystem Project is built based on consulting businesses and agencies related to 6 groups of products (textiles, seafood, etc.). Regarding the roadmap for implementing the Project, in 2024, opinions will be collected to draft the project. In January 2025, a draft FTA Ecosystem Project will be developed and opinions will be collected. In April 2025, a national conference will be held to collect opinions on the draft overall Project. In May 2025, the project will be submitted to the Prime Minister and a working group will be established. It is expected to be officially implemented from September 2025. |
Source: https://congthuong.vn/quang-nam-xay-dung-he-sinh-thai-tan-dung-fta-trong-linh-vuc-thuy-san-359389.html
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