Seafood export faces numerous barriersDespite strong outbound sales so far this year, Vietnam’s target of earning US$9-10 billion from seafood exports in 2018 may prove tough due to numerous technical barriers being set up in major markets, Nguoi Lao Dong newspaper reports. According to the General Department of Vietnam Customs, seafood export revenue as of mid-March 2018 reached US$1.37 billion, up 17% versus the year-ago period, making seafood one of the eight products with export revenue of over US$1 billion. Truong Dinh Hoe, secretary general of Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), said the preventively-high antidumping tariffs slapped on Vietnam’s tra fish stateside have cast a shadow on the country’s seafood exports. In addition, the European Union (EU), which overtook the U.S. as Vietnam’s largest seafood buyer in 2017 with US$1.48 billion, has also turned more reserved towards Vietnam’s seafood by issuing the yellow card. The secretary general of VASEP said it is difficult to control the quality of seafood in border trade, which may affect Vietnam’s seafood exports to this market in the future.

Source: VietNamNet News March 29, 2018 16:52 UTC