According to government reports, the availability of seafood supplies during the harvest season from June to November affects seafood exports to a great extent.
The government stressed that some problems need to be dealt with before Vietnam can effectively achieve its export target of US$2.6 billion this year.
In order to access other markets, Vietnamese exporters need to overcome the effects of US's price dumping lawsuits against Vietnam's shrimp, which comprise half of the total seafood export value of US$2.4 billion in 2004, and "tra" and "basa" catfish, which totalled US$232 million.
Processing factories cannot meet domestic and international food safety standards if they are not supplied with clean materials, which are hard to purchase domestically, despite using modern equipment.
The government will help various seafood businesses through means such as improving quality checking capacity, strict material inspections and guidance in the safe use of chemicals and antibiotics during production.
Source: eFeedLink - 8th June 2005
