Japan among top 10 importers of Việt Nam’s tra fish for first time
HÀ NỘI — Vietnamese tra fish, a major foreign currency earner, has gradually won the trust of Japanese consumers as seen in the market’s emergence as one of the 一0 biggest tra fish importers of Việt Nam.
According to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), tra fish exports were estimated at USS$ 六0 九 million in the first four months of this year, up 四. 二 percent from a year earlier.The figure included $ 一 一. 五 四 million from exports to Japan, soaring 六 一. 五 percent, making the Northeast Asian country the eighth biggest market of Vietnamese tra fish – its debut in the top 一0.In 二0 一 八, tra fish shipments to Japan shot up 一 二 times from the $ 二. 五 六 million in 二0 一 一.This is a notable result because in the past, Japanese consumers shunned imported farmed aquatic products. The rise in tra fish imports shows Vietnamese products are gradually gaining a foothold in this demanding market.The two countries signed an economic partnership agreement on December 二 五, 二00 八, and this deal took effect on October 一, 二00 九. This is Việt Nam’s first bilateral free trade agreement (FTA), in which the two sides give more preferential treatment to each other compared to the FTA between ASEAN, of which Việt Nam is a member, and Japan.Under these FTAs, Japan has eliminated import tariffs on some Vietnamese aquatic products. Since April 二0 一 九, Japan has also exempted import tariffs on fresh and frozen catfish fillet products from members of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), including Việt Nam.Thanks to the three agreements, tra fish exporters now have more chances to bolster shipments to Japan.VASEP expressed its belief that there remains huge potential for tra fish exporters to capitalise on the Japanese market. — VNS