Some 200 containers of 5,000 tons of catfish products were leaving for Russia late last week as the first shipment to the market in 2009 after Russia suspended catfish import from Vietnam late last year.
The shipments were ordered by six Russian importers.
Duong Ngoc Minh, head of newly-established Management Board for Catfish Export to Russia, said that the shipment was jointly undertaken by 10 domestic companies licensed by Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and Russian quality testing agencies.
“The first shipment was shared equally among the 10 companies but we will distribute the later orders following processors’ ability,” he said.
Minh, who also serves as general director of Tien Giang province-based Hung Vuong Seafood Joint Stock Co. with a share in the first shipment, said that the export price was good, equivalent to that of shipment for the EU market, at US$2.9/kilo. Vietnamese catfish in recent years were priced higher in the EU than other foreign markets.
The management board last month agreed with Russian importers to impose export quota at 90,000 tons this year, reducing by nearly 20,000 on-year.
“The first shipment is small, but catfish demand in Russia rises strongly in winter, between July and November. We will double export volumes then,” Minh explained.
The board has suggested the Russian companies to import shrimp, squid, dry seafood, and surimi from Vietnam as accompanied products. “If the negotiation turns out successful, Vietnam may obtain US$500 million in seafood export value a year from Russia in the time ahead,” Minh said.
In 2008, Vietnam exported nearly 120,000 tons of catfish to Russia and obtained US$188 million of turnover, up 161 per cent and 123 per cent on year, and Russia was the among biggest catfish importers before the import embargo.
The nation generated US$4.5 billion in seafood export value last year. (VASEP)
Vietnamese
