Standards could boost seafood sales to Russia

HCM City (VNA/VNS) - Earnings from seafood exports to Russia could rise to
500 million USD in the next few years if exporters comply with hygiene and safety
standards, according to speakers at a seminar in Ho Chi Minh City held early
this week.

Duong Ngoc Minh, head of a coordinating committee of tra catfish export to
Russia , told the seminar that the market had a high demand for catfish and
shrimp.

Imported seafood products now account for 70 percent of the market share in
Russia .

Minh said local seafood exporters in the next few days would sign a contract to
export 7,000 tonnes of tra catfish.

The move is a result of concerted efforts from both Vietnam and Russia ,
after the latter halted the import of Vietnamese seafood in late December because
of hygiene and safety-related issues.

Figures show that last year Vietnam exported some 118,000 tonnes of seafood to
Russia , worth 188 million USD.

Minh said that Russia would surpass the EU and Japan to become Vietnam 's
largest seafood importer in the near future.

However, export products must follow the requirements on quality as well as food
hygiene and safety set by both Vietnam and Russia .

In addition, seafood enterprises must ensure food hygiene and safety from
breeding, processing and storage to transportation.

Enterprises have to prove that they have their own raw materials for processing,
have cold storage systems, and meet other requirements to be eligible to export
products to Russia.-Enditem