Speaking at a seminar held by her ministry in HCM City to discuss measures to develop seafood exports, Minh said the ministry would continue to focus on its major export markets: the US, Japan, the EU, China, Hong Kong and South Korea.
"To compete internationally, the industry needs to produce more high-quality products and meet international sanitary standards in breeding and processing," Minh said.
"To reduce production costs and improve seafood product quality, fisheries zoning efforts must be hastened."
Viet Nam hopes to export over 900,000 tonnes of seafood annually, chiefly shrimp and catfish, until 2010.
"Helping farmers access information and training technicians capable of quickly absorbing technologies and international standards in seafood processing are among the most important tasks now," Minh said.
The seminar attracted over 200 delegates, representing domestic seafood associations and fisheries departments and farmers from many provinces. A number of foreign experts were also present.
"Viet Nam’s seafood exports exceeded US$3 billion this year and [its] aquatic produce is gaining larger export market shares due to quality improvements," Minister of Fisheries Ta Quang Ngoc said.
"However, with overseas consumers increasingly demanding ‘clean’ seafood, processors should make an effort to control the antibiotic and other chemical residues in their products," he warned.
Source: Growfish