VN earns US$2.3 bln from exporting tra fish

The domestic tra fish sector was given a boost when the U.S. Department of Agriculture officially recognized Viet Nam’s Pangasius Food Safety Control System after more than three years of negotiations.

The recognition was important for the development of the pangasius industry, MARD official Phung Duc Tien said, adding that it proved Viet Nam had a system in place that met U.S. market requirements, which were among the strictest in the world.

In order to meet U.S. regulations, the MARD said it had been working closely with stakeholders in Vietnam for three years to develop a system that met the US Farm Bill 2014.

“It will help local pangasius firms to access and expand their export markets, not only in the U.S. but also in other regions,” said Nguyen Nhu Tiep, Director of Agro-Forestry-Fisheries Quality Assurance Department at MARD, adding that it would also encourage more enterprises to export pangasius to the U.S. along with the existing 13 export markets.

According to the MARD’s statistics, Viet Nam has yearly production of 1.3 million tons of pangasius, India 650,000 tons, Bangladesh 450,000 tons, Indonesia 110,000 tons and China 10,000 tons.

The U.S. Department of Commerce lowered anti-dumping duties on frozen pangasius fillets from Viet Nam in the 15th period of review (POR15).

Last year, Viet Nam exported US$550 million worth of pangasius to the U.S., the country’s second largest market./.

By Hoang Ha