The Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) said Vietnamese enterprises have exported ocean tuna to 87 countries. Notably, Phu Yen tuna is exported to many demanding countries like the United States, the EU and Japan. However, the tuna is exported fresh and then sold under foreign brand names.
Selling under foreign brand names for export
Ms Trinh Thi Ngoc Sam, Director of Vinh Sam Co., Ltd, said: Although Phu Yen tuna is very famous, ocean tuna is branded foreign names on the world market. Because of strict food safety and quality requirements in many countries, ocean tuna is mainly exported in the form of freshness. Enterprises purchased ocean tuna from fishermen and sold to foreign traders. As a result, Phu Yen tuna brand name is not used. At present, Vietnam has not been named the full member of the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC), a condition to expand fishing ground and build up branding.
On September 9, 2010, the National Office of Intellectual Property (NOIP) under the Ministry of Science and Technology said it granted the first “Phu Yen tuna” to 73 members. But, since then, no used “Phu Yen tuna” label when it is exported. Most enterprises in Phu Yen, Binh Dinh and Khanh Hoa provinces are operating independently and they do not care much about branding.
At a recent conference on fisheries development held by the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Dr Nguyen Quoc Thinh - a lecturer at Hanoi Trade University - said: The popularisation of Vietnamese ocean tuna and aquatic products remained weak. Besides, many fraudulent companies are staining the image of Vietnamese seafood. Meanwhile, the Phu Yen Ocean Tuna Association has not played its part fully.
The different naming in English is also an obstacle. The correct name in English is “Phu Yen Ocean Tuna” but the NOIP wrote “Phu Yen tuna” on the certification paper. Ms Trinh Thi Ngoc Sam, Director of Vinh Sam Co., Ltd, said: The incorrect use of product name may lead to copyright disputes.
Need of branding
The Phu Yen Ocean Tuna Association and the Vietnam Ocean Tuna Association were set up but they lacked a good operating mechanism to control catching, processing, preservation, exporting and protection and build branding strategies to expand global presence. The creation of a shared brand name for ocean tuna caught by Binh Dinh, Phu Yen and Khanh Hoa provinces is now quite late but it is necessary to improve the economic value and export turnover, and facilitate activities of local fishermen. According to Dr Nguyen Quoc Thinh, to develop ocean tuna brand names sustainably, ocean tuna associations need to complete operating mechanisms, build an export market information system, work with enterprises to control fish quality, apply general standards for products, and regulate product branding. Associations should take advantage of supports from central agencies to assist fishermen to build a complete ocean tuna preserving, processing and branding process.
Mr Nguyen Van Do, Chairman of Phu Yen Tuna Association, said: Ocean tuna is subject to the Agreement on International Migration of Fish; hence, Vietnam should join the WCPFC soon. In mid-2011, the Phu Yen province-based Vinh Sam Co., Ltd set up a joint venture with four Japanese companies and Mr Yoshisada Watanabe (Japanese) to invest US$2 million in processing and exporting 2,000 - 3,000 tonnes of ocean tuna to foreign markets a year. From February 2012, the Japanese side used a modern boat to purchase tuna at sea from fishermen in Phu Yen province. This form of cooperation is being multiplied.
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