Vietnamese tra and basa catfish exporters expect good sales in the second quarter of 2008 thanks to outlet expansion in the first one, the Vietnam Trade Information Center reported.
According to figures provided by the General Customs Department, Vietnamese tra and basa catfish were exported to 60 countries and territories worldwide in January-March of 2008, up from 49 countries in January-March of 2007, and with EU, Russia, ASEAN countries and Ukraine being the biggest importers.
Between January and March, Vietnam exported 115,600 tons of tra and basa catfish worth US$265.2 million, up 43.4 per cent on year in volume and US$28.2 per cent in value.
EU bloc continued to be the biggest importer of Vietnamese tra and basa catfish with total import volume hitting 43,540 tons, valued at US$109.76 million, and making on year rises of 18.8 per cent in volume and 9.8 per cent in value.
Russia won the first position, accounting for 21.5 per cent of Vietnam’s total catfish export volume, and 16.1 per cent in value. In the first quarter, Russia imported 24,900 tons of catfish worth US$42.6 million, up 91.1 per cent and 62.2 per cent, respectively.
The department said export prices of Vietnamese catfish were averaging at US$2.3 per kilo during the first quarter of 2008, down 27 US cents per kilo against the same period of 2007.
In April, the prices were around US$2.44 per kilo, down 52 US cents per kilo from April of 2007, but increasing slightly from a month earlier.
Local exporters expected the prices will soar to more than US$2.5 a kilo in this quarter. At local market, catfish materials are selling for around VND15,000 a kilo. (Vinanet)
Vietnamese
