Processing Tra fish for export (Source: VNA)HCM City (VNA) – The Vietnam Association of Seafood Exportersand Producers (VASEP) has urged domestic enterprises to maintain strict qualitycontrol of aquatic products exported to China amidst the fast growth of trafish export to this market recently.
The association advised enterprises to adhere to regulations on productorigin, food safety and use of the seafood export certificates in processingand export aquatic products in general and tra and basa fish in particular.
The VASEP is committed to working with relevant ministries and agenciesto uncover and punish trade frauds, thus maintaining the prestige of Vietnam’stra and basa products towards sustainable export to China and other markets.
Earlier, the association has reported the situation of tra export toChina to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Ministry ofIndustry and Trade, and asked them to tighten quality control of tra fishproducts exported to China through border trade.
China has emerged as a big market for Vietnam’s seafood in general andtra fish in particular, with a growth rate averaging 21-31 percent a year overthe past 5 years.
In the first five months of 2018, tra fish export to China earned thecountry 203 million USD, up 48.6 percent year on year, accounting for 25.5percent of the total export revenue from this product.
However, a lack of quality control on the Chinese side for tra fishproducts imported through border trade may have negative effects on theprestige of Vietnam’s tra fish. Therefore, a proactive approach in this matterwill help prevent such impacts on the tra fish industry, VASEP said.
On May 31, the Chinese Ministry of Finance announced an import taxreduction for 221 aquatic products from member states of the World TradeOrganisation (WTO). Tariffs on tra fish fillets and fresh and frozen tra fishwere cut from 10 percent to 7 percent, and from 12 percent to 7 percent,respectively from July 1.
The move is expected to help lift tra fish exports through officialchannels instead of cross-border trade.-VNA
VNA
