Jan-Oct tra fish exports exceed total exports of 2017

Tra fish processing at a local facility - PHOTO: VGP

CAN THO - Significant growth in the January-October period has helped tra fish exports exceed last year’s figures, data from the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) showed.

According to a VASEP report, tra fish exports in October were estimated at US$255 million, up 54% against the same period a year earlier. This has brought tra fish exports during the year to date to US$1.8 billion, marking a year-on-year rise of 24.1%, higher than last year's US$1.78 billion.

The growth of tra fish exports during this year's early months is attributed to the recovery of major markets such as the United States and the European Union and growth maintained in Asian markets, according to VASEP.

In particular, tra fish exports to the United States picked up 43% to nearly US$370 million. As for the EU market, while last year saw an export decline against the previous year, exports over the past three quarters rose by 14.6% to US$176 million, putting an end to the downward trend in this market over the past three years.

Though the growth of the Chinese-Hong Kong market has slowed down, third-quarter exports were recorded at nearly US$377 million, up 31% year-on-year.

Besides the market recovery, according to VASEP, the rising tra fish price is another reason for the high export turnover.

The 24.1% rise in the January-October period has made tra fish the seafood product with the highest growth.

Shrimp exports in the 10-month period were US$2.975 billion (down 5.7%). Meanwhile, the country exported nearly US$536 million worth of tuna (up 9.9% ).