Workers process aquatic products at the Ngo Quyen Export Seafood Processing JSC, in Kien Giang province (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) - Vietnam’s export turnover ofaquatic products reached 7 billion USD in 2016, an increase of 6.6 percent over2015, reported the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
According to the Directorate ofFisheries, in the first half of this year, drought and saltwater intrusionin south central provinces and the Mekong Delta region, as well as the maritimeenvironmental incident in four central provinces have caused severe impacts onaquaculture and seafood catching. However, thanks to the drastic instructionsof administrations at all levels, the sector saw improvements in the secondhalf.
In 2016, the total output of aquatic products exceeded 6.7million tonnes, a year-on-year increase of 2.5 percent. It included 3.1 milliontonnes from fishing, and 3.6 million tonnes from aquaculture, up 1.7 percentand 3.3 percent, respectively. The total farming area reached 1.3 millionhectares.
In 2016, the total area of tra farming was 5,050 hectares,producing 1.15 million tonnes, fulfilling the annual target.
Meanwhile, the tilapia breeding area was 25,000 hectares, churningout 200,000 tonnes. The major importers of the product were the US, Spain andColombia.
According to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters andProducers (VASEP), the tilapia export value hit 45 million USD, a year-on-yearincrease of 32 percent.
In 2017, the sector strives to produce 6.85 million tonnes, including3.05 million tonnes from fishing and 3.8 million tonnes from farming, and earn7.3 billion USD from exports.-VNA
