Econ
Vietnam continues largest shrimp supplier for Switzerland
Vietnam will likely maintain the position as the largest shrimp supplier for Switzerland for the eleventh consecutive year.
According to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), Vietnam was consistently the largest shrimp supplier for Switzerland in 2007-2016, accounting for over 50 per cent of total Swiss shrimp imports.
The Southeast Asian country is forecast to continuously maintain the position in 2017 as its shrimp exports to Switzerland made up 59 per cent of the total Swiss shrimp import value of US$87.6 million in the first three quarters of this year, followed by Germany, Denmark, France and the Netherlands.
As of November 15, 2017, Vietnam's shrimp exports to Switzerland reached US$34.3 million, up 17.3 per cent over the same period last year.
Switzerland ranks 10th among Vietnam's main shrimp import markets, accounting for 1.03 per cent of the Southeast Asian country's total shrimp exports to all the markets.
Switzerland accounts for 0.5 per cent of total shrimp import value in the world, mainly importing shrimp for domestic consumption. Each year, this country imports some 8,500 tons of shrimp.
Shrimp import in Switzerland was not stable during the 10 years (2007-2016), with the lowest import value in 2007 at US$81.4 million and the highest in 2014 at $144.6 million. In 2014, the value of shrimp imports in this country reached the highest level because the price of shrimp worldwide increased significantly. From 2014 to 2016, the value of shrimp imports into the country showed a tendency to decline.
In the Swiss market, Vietnam has to compete with Ecuador and other Asian suppliers such as Bangladesh, Thailand and India, although Vietnamese shrimp is more affordable than European suppliers such as Germany, Denmark and France.
Frozen shrimp and sealed bags with processed shrimp are the two main products imported into Switzerland, of which Vietnam is the largest supplier of these two products.
VASEP said Switzerland offers free import duty on frozen shrimp for all five major sources -- Vietnam, Germany, Denmark, Ecuador and Bangladesh.
VASEP suggested that in light of the current situation, Vietnam should take advantage of being the largest supplier of shrimp and the zero per cent tariff on exporting shrimp to Switzerland to maintain and promote exports to this market.
Vietnam has so far become the world’s third largest shrimp exporter after China and Indonesia. Vietnamese shrimp is available in 100 countries and territories. Vietnam is the biggest shrimp supplier to Japan, the third biggest to the US, and the fourth biggest to the EU.
Truong Dinh Hoe, Secretary General of the Vietnamese Association of Seafood Exporters and Processors, says Vietnam has an advantage over Thailand, India, and Indonesia with respect to white leg shrimp and giant tiger prawn exports.
The Government has so far also planned to have shrimp become a spearhead export, earning that country US$10 billion by 2025.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Vu Van Tam said to meet the target, the sector needs scientific and technological breakthroughs, in breeding, production, and disease control. It also needs to expand export markets and respond appropriately to protectionism such as technical barriers. In 2017, the aquaculture sector will energetically carry out the action plan for the shrimp industry.
He said that scientific and technological breakthroughs will increase productivity. The current shrimp farming area of 140,000 hectares can be expanded in a short time. The current average productivity of 4 tons per hectare can be raised to 6 to 8 tons per hectare for leg shrimp and brackish shrimp that are cultured on an industrial scale.
“We need to create policies to attract new businesses, gather small producers into cooperatives and connect them with enterprises, and apply science, technology, and new models to production and export”, Tam elaborates.
The Southeast Asian country is forecast to continuously maintain the position in 2017 as its shrimp exports to Switzerland made up 59 per cent of the total Swiss shrimp import value of US$87.6 million in the first three quarters of this year, followed by Germany, Denmark, France and the Netherlands.
Switzerland ranks 10th among Vietnam's main shrimp import markets, accounting for 1.03 per cent of the Southeast Asian country's total shrimp exports to all the markets.
Switzerland accounts for 0.5 per cent of total shrimp import value in the world, mainly importing shrimp for domestic consumption. Each year, this country imports some 8,500 tons of shrimp.
Shrimp import in Switzerland was not stable during the 10 years (2007-2016), with the lowest import value in 2007 at US$81.4 million and the highest in 2014 at $144.6 million. In 2014, the value of shrimp imports in this country reached the highest level because the price of shrimp worldwide increased significantly. From 2014 to 2016, the value of shrimp imports into the country showed a tendency to decline.
In the Swiss market, Vietnam has to compete with Ecuador and other Asian suppliers such as Bangladesh, Thailand and India, although Vietnamese shrimp is more affordable than European suppliers such as Germany, Denmark and France.
Frozen shrimp and sealed bags with processed shrimp are the two main products imported into Switzerland, of which Vietnam is the largest supplier of these two products.
VASEP said Switzerland offers free import duty on frozen shrimp for all five major sources -- Vietnam, Germany, Denmark, Ecuador and Bangladesh.
VASEP suggested that in light of the current situation, Vietnam should take advantage of being the largest supplier of shrimp and the zero per cent tariff on exporting shrimp to Switzerland to maintain and promote exports to this market.
Vietnam has so far become the world’s third largest shrimp exporter after China and Indonesia. Vietnamese shrimp is available in 100 countries and territories. Vietnam is the biggest shrimp supplier to Japan, the third biggest to the US, and the fourth biggest to the EU.
Truong Dinh Hoe, Secretary General of the Vietnamese Association of Seafood Exporters and Processors, says Vietnam has an advantage over Thailand, India, and Indonesia with respect to white leg shrimp and giant tiger prawn exports.
The Government has so far also planned to have shrimp become a spearhead export, earning that country US$10 billion by 2025.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Vu Van Tam said to meet the target, the sector needs scientific and technological breakthroughs, in breeding, production, and disease control. It also needs to expand export markets and respond appropriately to protectionism such as technical barriers. In 2017, the aquaculture sector will energetically carry out the action plan for the shrimp industry.
He said that scientific and technological breakthroughs will increase productivity. The current shrimp farming area of 140,000 hectares can be expanded in a short time. The current average productivity of 4 tons per hectare can be raised to 6 to 8 tons per hectare for leg shrimp and brackish shrimp that are cultured on an industrial scale.
“We need to create policies to attract new businesses, gather small producers into cooperatives and connect them with enterprises, and apply science, technology, and new models to production and export”, Tam elaborates.
