The US has more than 10 times imposed anti-dumping duties on Vietnam’s catfish exports. If it continues installing new barriers, Vietnam may need to find new markets for the exports, experts say.

Vietnam exported $475 million worth of seafood products to South Korea in the first eight months of the year, an increase of 27 percent compared with the same period last year.

VietNamNet Bridge - Analysts say that Vietnamese catfish exporters are willing to ‘fight to the death’, but they refuse to band together to discuss solutions to settle common problems.

Because of unexpected changes in the market or poor business decisions, Minh Phu and Hung Vuong, the kings in the seafood industry, have been seeing a severe drop in profits. 

Exports of tra fish to the United States have remained stable after it imposed a demand that exporting countries demonstrate that their food safety control system is equivalent to that of the US.

The US Department of Commerce (DOC) has rescinded an administrative review of antidumping duties on certain frozen warmwater shrimp imported from Vietnam from February 1, 2016 through January 31, 2017.

MARD has issued a safety control programme designed for Siluriformes fish (mainly tra and basa) and related products exported to the US market as part of efforts to adapt to new changes in the market.

Vietnam may sue the US at the World Trade Organization (WTO) if the US Farm Bill adversely affects Vietnam’s exports. 

VietNamNet Bridge - Though China is the biggest export market for Vietnam, most of the exports go through unofficial channels. 

VietNamNet Bridge - Never before has Vietnam’s shrimp industry met such difficulties, as technical barriers have been used in large importing markets.

A number of seafood companies have been dissolved or have halted operation, while trade barriers from import countries are expected to.pose challenges to Vietnam’s fishery sector.

Vietnam’s catfish industry has encountered bad press in recent months. Carrefour, the largest retail group in Europe, announced the stop of the sale of Vietnam’s catfish in Spain, Italy, France and countries where the group has branches.

VietNamNet Bridge - Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has decided that Vietnam should become the shrimp production base of the world. 

VietNamNet Bridge - Seafood producers and exporters have been warned that many barriers, from protectionism to media campaigns, will affect them in the international market in 2017.

VietNamNet Bridge - The loss rate in catfish farming has been increasing in recent years, mainly due to environmental damage. 

VietNamNet Bridge - Breeding shrimp in glass houses not only improves productivity, but also helps minimize pollution. 

VietNamNet Bridge - The Vietnam Seafood Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) believes that Vietnam is capable of becoming an important global seafood production base.

VietNamNet Bridge - Vietnam spent $32 billion on imports from China in the first eight months of the year, including products which are plentiful in Vietnam.

VietNamNet Bridge - The US has decided to impose new anti-dumping duties on Vietnam’s shrimp, five times higher than previous years and two to three times higher than duties imposed on Vietnam's competitors.

VietNamNet Bridge - After swindling partners and appropriating huge sums of money, a number of tycoons have fled abroad. Some of them have been arrested, while others have settled down in other countries.