Vietnamese shrimp coveted in Taiwan

September 07, 2012 | 09:34

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Seafood exports to Taiwan rose at a stable rate during the first eight months of this year, with total revenues reaching almost $45 million, representing an increase of 16.2 per cent over the same period last year, according to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers.

(source: thuysan)

Prawns for processing remain the key export to the Taiwanese market and account for more than 80 per cent of the total volume of seafood. This has helped the country earn almost $40 million and become the biggest supplier of shrimp to Taiwan for the past five years.

Markets analysts also say that Taiwan is a promising market for Vietnamese prawns and white-leg shrimp are also becoming much more popular in a host of overseas markets.

However, they have warned that although making up more than 80 per cent of seafood exports to Taiwan, Vietnamese prawns are not as competitive in price as those from other countries, such as Indonesia and India.

Taiwan’s strict quality controls on frozen seafood also pose a major challenge for Vietnamese exporters.

Shrimp exports to this market are expected to continue to rise during the last months of the year. However, Vietnamese exporters have to improve the quality of their products and reduce production costs to improve their competitiveness.

VIR/VNA

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