Aquatic exports reached US$552 million in January 2014, an increase of 13.9 percent since the same period in 2013. Vietnam is expected to reach the 2014 target of US$6.7 billion. Exports met target of US$6.7 billion in 2013, an increase of 10 percent since 2012.
High price of shrimp bring big profits for farmers and people are eager to improve farms, said Bui Hoang Anh of Ngoc To Commune, Soc Trang Province. Shrimp farmers in coastal areas of the Mekong Delta still prepare shipments during the Lunar New Year.
Shrimp farmers had a prosperous Lunar New Year holidays thanks to the price increase, said farmer Truong Van Thang in Thoi Binh District, Ca Mau Province.
Shrimp is an important commodity in the economy of Ben Tre Province and people’s living standard improves when price of shrimp rises, said Chairman of People’s Committee in Thanh Phuoc Commune, Ben Tre Province Le Vu Minh.
Last year is the first year that Ca Mau Province reached exports over US$1 billion, said Chairman of People’s Committee in Ca Mau Province Duong Tien Dung. Breeders and companies are even excited to be working through the holidays.
The country's shrimp and prawn exports reached US$3.1 billion last year and are expected to reach the same number this year, said General Secretary of Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) Truong Dinh Hoe.
Export for pangasius, a shark catfish species, is currently at US$1.6 billion in January 2014, a decrease of 5 percent compared to the same period in 2013, according to VASEP
Vietnam should pay more attention to Chinese markets because it exceeded Korean exports, said Mr. Hoe. China is Vietnam’s fourth largest export.
