Vietnamese pangasius fish exporters have regarded Russia as a very potential market and expect to earn US$100 million from shipping 60,000 tons to the foreign country this year.
Last year, they exported more than 39,000 tons valued at US$64 million, down 63% from previous year.
Duong Ngoc Minh, head of the Vietnam's catfish export management board to Russia said that export prices to Russia rose by 5%-7% over 2008, while prices to other markets fell by 10%-15%.
With a population of more than 150 million, Russia is a promising market for Vietnamese seafood products, especially pangasius fish and shrimp.
Russia's per capita seafood consumption is expected to double, from 7-12.5kg a year to some 16kg per annum in 2013. Imported seafood products now account for 70% of market share in Russia.
To meet set target, export products must follow requirements on quality as well as food hygiene and safety set by both Vietnam and Russia, said Luong Le Phuong, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development.
In addition, seafood enterprises must ensure food hygiene and safety, from breeding, processing and storage to transportation, he added.
Minh said his board will work with Russia's Federal Service for Veterinary and Phyto-sanitary Surveillance to set up quality inspection programs for Vietnamese seafood exports to Russia.
The board will also improve the marketing and advertising of seafood products and work with Russia's neighboring countries on a trial basis to export seafood.
The board has asked the Government to work with Russian authorities for adding other seafood companies to a list of firms meeting requirements to export to Russia, said Minh who is also general director of the Hung Vuong Joint Stock Company.
Currently, only companies certified by the Russian Federal Service Veterinary and Physio-sanitary Surveillance can export products to Russia.
The board has also asked the National Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery Quality Assurance Department to ensure quality by regularly checking firms that have certificates to export to Russia. (Saigon Marketing)
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