Aquatic export estimated at 8.5 billion USD in 2018

Illustrative image (Source: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) – The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development’s Directorate of Fisheries has said it will strive to earn an export value of aquatic products of 8.5 billion USD this year, up 1.2 percent annually. 

The total aquatic production is estimated at 7 million tonnes, down 3.8 percent year-on-year. Up to 3 million tonnes of which will be caught offshore and the remainder will be bred, down 13.3 percent and up 4 percent, respectively. 

The sector also targeted that shrimp output in brackish water will hit 720,000 tonnes, marking a 13.1 percent rise while tra fish output will increase 4 percent to 1.3 million tonnes. 

Acting Director General of the Directorate of Fisheries Nguyen Ngoc Oai said in order to achieve the above targets, the sector will closely watch weather conditions, maintain tiger prawn output and develop white-legged shrimp breeding in advantageous areas. 

It will also arrange production in value chain, launch farming models up to VietGAP standards in combination with new rural development, build full procedures for seafood certification before export, and promote responsible fishing among businesses and farmers. 

Last year, the total aquatic export earnings hit 8.3 billion USD, up 17.8 percent annually and 16.9 percent of the target. The total aquatic production volume and value reached 7.1 million tonnes and 212.360 trillion VND (9.43 billion USD), up by 5.5 percent and roughly 6.2 percent, respectively.

The combined volume of caught seafood hit 3.3 million tonnes while the remainder was bred