AsemconnectVietnam - In 2023, Vietnam's fish paste and surimi export turnover was estimated at 303 million USD, down 27% compared to 2022.

In the past five years, Vietnam's fish paste and surimi industry earned from 300-420 million USD each year, including surimi from marine fish and pangasius, accounting for 4%-5% of the country's total seafood exports. Last year, due to the impact of the economic crisis, the demand for seafood in general, and surimi in particular, decreased. This affected Vietnam's surimi exports. With a predicted world economic recovery, exports of this product group will increase again. According to experts, surimi production and export will thrive thanks to its popularity as a cost-effective seafood ingredient, particularly in Asian cuisine. In addition, consumers favor surimi’s high nutritional value and suitable shelf life.
Vietnam currently has more than 100 enterprises engaged in exporting fish paste and surimi, with DALU SURIMI, CASES and KICOIMEX stand out in the top 3.
Vietnam's surimi products are exported to more than 40 countries around the world. Although in 2023, surimi enterprises made efforts to expand to smaller markets, it was still not enough to offset the decline in main export markets. The top 6 largest import markets of Vietnam’s fish paste and surimi include Korea, Thailand, Japan, China and Hongkong, Malaysia and the US, accounting for nearly 83% of total export turnover.
Canned tuna export up 28% in 2023
In 2023, canned tuna became the most exported product to the EU for the first time. Export turnover of this product group accounts for more than 40% of total export turnover to this market, estimated at about 71 million USD, up 28% from 2022.
According to statistics of Vietnam Customs, after declining in the first month of the year, canned tuna exports to the EU have grown continuously for many months afterwards, when tariff preferential quotas under the Free Trade Agreement between the EU and Vietnam (EVFTA) were restarted. At one point, export turnover increased to 3 digits compared to the same period the previous year. At the end of the year, after the tariff preferential quota was used up, canned tuna exports to this market bloc slowed down and decreased in some months.
Vietnam's tuna products have been exported to 22 countries in the EU. In particular, Germany, the Netherlands and Italy are the 3 largest import markets for Vietnam’s canned tuna. In 2023, canned tuna exports to all 3 countries above increased, especially Italy with an increase of 456% compared to 2022.
According to enterprises, the increase in EU imports of Vietnam’s canned tuna is due to the high average import price of canned tuna products within the EU, so EU countries tend to increase imports from outside. In addition, the El Niño phenomenon caused a drought in the Panama Canal in late 2023, which hindered Ecuadorian tuna exports to the EU.
Seafood exports to Japan decreased by 12%
In 2023, Japan was one of Vietnam’s top 2 seafood import markets, behind the US. While exports to the US significantly declined by 29%, and to other markets in the top 5 decreased by 16-18%, exports to Japan had the least decrease, only 12%.
The sharp decline in exports of whiteleg and black tiger shrimp to Japan was the main factor impacting seafood export turnover in this market. Meanwhile, many other products achieved positive growth in Japan this year. Notably, crab exports to Japan increased by 36% compared to the same period in 2022, positioning crab as the third-largest-exported product to this market, only after white shrimp and salmon.
Exports of scads, pollock, mackerel, trachurus, flounder, amberjack, cat tiger shrimp, razorbelly scad and others have higher export sales to Japan than last year.
A significant portion of the products with growth in Japan this year are those relying on imported raw materials for processing and export, sustaining the income for processing workers, while optimizing the processing capacity and equipment in factories. For example, snow crab, salmon, pollock, mackerel...
An Giang: Many businesses invest in high-tech pangasius farming areas
According to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of An Giang, the implementation of the 3-level pangasius breeding production project in the Mekong Delta in An Giang currently has investments from 4 enterprises in technology-oriented farming in a high-concentration area of 442.3 ha. Among which, Viet Uc Seafood Corporation has invested 104 ha; Nam Viet Binh Phu Seafood Company Limited has invested 600 ha (including 150 ha for breeding); Loc Kim Chi Development Company Limited with 140 ha; and Vinh Hoan Joint Stock Company with 48.3 ha. These projects are currently underway and put into production, contributing to improving pangasius seed quality in An Giang province.
As of now, these businesses have the capacity to provide about 500 million high-quality pangasius seeds. There are currently 3 seed production and hatchering enterprises: Viet Uc Seafood Joint Stock Company and Vinh Hoan Pangasius Hatchery Company Limited, applying molecular biology technology for research on seed production (certified as high-tech agricultural enterprises); Nam Viet Binh Phu Seafood Company Limited is certified as a high-tech agricultural area, with an area of 233 ha.
T.Huong
Source: Vitic/Vasep