VASEP representative proposes building a seafood auction market for fishermen to get better prices - Photo: TUNG DINH
Mr. Nguyen Hoai Nam, Deputy Secretary General of VASEP, proposed this at the Conference to review the agricultural sector in 2024 and deploy tasks for 2025.
Seafood exports only reach about 8-10 billion USD
According to Mr. Nam, seafood export turnover in 2024 has returned to the milestone of over 10 billion USD - not only contributing to the overall turnover of Vietnam's agricultural sector (62.5 billion USD) but also making a mark in the context of global difficulties.
In particular, the shrimp industry achieved an export turnover of 4 billion USD, an increase of 15% compared to 2023, although the world shrimp consumption market is affected by inflation and fierce competition from major producing countries such as India, Ecuador, and Indonesia.
However, thanks to the strategy of focusing on value-added products and diversifying product segments (whiteleg shrimp, tiger prawns, lobsters, sea shrimps, etc.), the Vietnamese shrimp industry has maintained its competitiveness and stable development.
The seafood export results in 2024 are impressive, but Mr. Nam said that Vietnam's seafood industry is still facing many major challenges in the context of rapid and uncertain global changes.
One of the outstanding issues is that in the past 5-6 years, seafood exports have only been around 8-10 billion USD/year - except for 2022 when it will reach 11 billion USD. Meanwhile, the industry's development strategy until 2030 sets a target of 14-16 billion USD.
“From the perspective of the growth of the fruit and vegetable industry, especially durian, it feels like seafood exports need new growth drivers in the context of a world with too much uncertainty and rapid change in the digital age.
The forecast for global seafood consumption growth is only 5-6%/year, while the Vietnamese seafood industry aims for double-digit export growth in the coming time. To achieve this goal, the industry not only tries to maintain market share and increase value-added processing content, but also needs to research to have a new suitable growth model," said Mr. Nam.
Binh Dinh fishermen's tuna fishing boat returns to port - Photo: LAM THIEN
Proposal to organize Vietnam Fisheries Day
On that basis, Mr. Nam proposed to motivate farmers and fishermen to raise and exploit aquatic products by building an auction market to sell at the best price to fishermen and to centralize traceability data.
It is necessary to review and amend regulations related to minimum catch sizes of some species, especially skipjack tuna, yellowfin tuna and migratory species.
At the same time, it is necessary to have a strategy to build a model of large corporations and enterprises in marine exploitation to cooperate with coastal countries - not only to expand the scope of operations but also to create new motivation for fishermen to exploit the sea, for a more abundant and sustainable source of raw materials.
For the business community, Mr. Nam recommended that the Government, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Industry and Trade promote negotiations with South Korea to abolish quotas on Vietnamese shrimp exported to South Korea within the framework of the VKFTA Agreement in order to adjust the tax rate to 0% for Vietnamese shrimp.
Promote activities to expand market share in the Middle East and Halal countries. At the same time, organize Vietnam Seafood Day in ASEAN - this is how Thailand has been doing well in recent times in promoting Thai products in many countries in the ASEAN region, Korea, Japan, etc.
Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan said the ministry will also have a working session with VASEP to maintain double-digit growth in seafood and discuss these recommendations to promote seafood exports.
Phu Yen also proposed to build a tuna auction market.
Mr. Le Tan Ho, Vice Chairman of Phu Yen Provincial People's Committee, proposed that the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development pay attention to investing in a high-tech aquaculture project with an area of 80 hectares in Song Cau town - the main goal is to raise lobsters on land.
Second, it is proposed to upgrade Dong Tac fishing port to a type 1 fishing port, a specialized tuna port combined with an ocean tuna auction market.
According to Mr. Ho, if these two projects are implemented, they will have a great impact on increasing the value of Phu Yen's seafood industry.
Minister Le Minh Hoan said the ministry will hold a working session with Phu Yen province to get opinions on these proposals.
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