Vietnam has officially opened its market to British live seafood products, the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) announced on April 1.
The agreement is expected to generate over GBP20 million (US$26 million) in revenue for the UK seafood sector over the next five years.
Vietnam, with the highest consumers of seafood per capita in Southeast Asia, at 37kg per year, presents a promising market for high-quality British seafood. Coastal communities across England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales stand to benefit from the new export opportunities.
British seafood exports to Vietnam saw a 40 percent surge in the first nine months of 2024 compared with the previous year.
Vietnamese consumers will now have access to high-quality fresh seafood from the UK, including lobster and brown crab.
Minister for food and rural affairs Daniel Zeichner said: “Our high-quality seafood is increasingly sought after worldwide, and this agreement demonstrates our commitment to get British exports moving by helping producers reach valuable international markets.”
Meanwhile, David Jarrad, CEO of Shellfish Association of Great Britain, said Vietnamese importers are willing to pay competitive prices for British seafood varieties.
