More seafood companies to export to EU

HA NOI — The EU has officially certified 380 Vietnamese seafood firms to export their products to the European market, according to the Viet Nam Association of Seafood Exporters and Processors (VASEP).

The new list of certified exporters would come into effect today, said Tran Bich Nga, deputy director of the National Agro-Forestry-Fisheries Quality Assurance Department (NAFIQAD).

Nga added that the NAFIQAD would assist enterprises in following European Commission regulations on exporting to the EU market.

Currently, seafood exporters have to undergo strict quality inspections conducted by an EU delegation in order to receive certification for exporting to the EU.

Exporters are also expected to meet Global GAP (voluntary standards for certification of agricultural products around the globe to ensure food safety and hygiene) and IUU (a regulation on preventing, deterring and eliminating illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing) protocols.

VASEP information has revealed that, up to May this year, 45 pangasius farms (belonging to 24 fishery firms) covering a total area of 1,000ha were Global GAP certified.

Until the end of April 2011, 21 out of 28 coastal provinces and cities had complied with regulations on the certification of caught marine fish (mainly squid, shrimp, crab, swimming crab and tuna) exported to the EU, according to the Department of Captured Fisheries and Resources Protection.

The EU is currently Viet Nam’s largest seafood importer, consuming roughly 30 per cent of the country’s entire seafood exports, earning Viet Nam roughly US$1 billion in revenues per year. During the first half of this year, the country earned around $634 million from the EU market, an increase of 21.7 per cent over the same period last year. — VNS

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