With the strength in aquaculture, in 2018, the Bac Lieu province exported seafood is estimated at over 56,612 tons, equal to 102.72% of the budget, up 13.40% over the same period; in which, frozen shrimp is exported over 54,612 tons.
The increase in seafood export volume is due to seafood processing enterprises for exporting increase their production, increasing their processing capacity to get enough goods for export and to meet the product quality standards of importing countries. At the same time, export enterprises well maintain traditional markets to increase export turnover into those markets, especially markets of Japan, EU, the United State, China, South Korea, Taiwan and etc.
However, besides the favorable factors of raw materials, consumption market, seafood export of Bac Lieu in 2018 also faces many unfavorable factors and difficulties such as fierce competition with cheap Indian shrimp, less and less ofproduction of tiger shrimp, abnormalprices fluctuation. The problem makes many exporters feel anxious, insecure is risk in payment that they always have to faced, especially in the Chinese market. The reason of the risks is border trading into this market. Border trading goods into China’s market, enterprises easily lose money as Chinese enterprises make a lot of difficulties as well askeepimport prices lowon purpose. In addition, the act of injecting impurities into raw shrimp also makes exporting enterprises face the risk of being returned products as the export product does not meet food safety and hygiene standards.
The main reason is that the majority of export enterprises still depend too much on the Chinese market. Seafood products are exported into the Chinese market, consequentlyenterpriseshave no choice but accept their "rules of the games". The sale through small channels such as border trade is one of an evidence. Moreover, many Chinese enterprises still buy shrimp with impurities. As a result, a lot of export enterprises in Bac Lieu province still haven’t resolutely said “No” yet to injecting impurities into shrimp.
In order to contribute to the development of production and to achieve the target of export turnover in 2019 reaching 690 million USD (up by 13% compared to 2018), restructuring of manufacture, product type and market needs to be paid more attention by export enterprises. They should focus on improving the quality of inputs and outputs through all production links, expanding market and developing towards clean production, ensuring food hygiene and safety requirements.
The management sector needs to implement well all methods that boost exports of goods in a sustainable way. It will be a driving force for economic growth of the province.The management sector alsohas a duty to actively support processing enterprises for exports in Bac Lieu province to raise up their investment in modernizing technology and equipment and expanding production scale in order to improve quality, increase value and competitiveness of export products.Besides, they are advised to encourage enterprises to invest in developing new products for processing and exporting into new markets with the intention of diversify their products, quickly escalatethe province's export turnover, solving challenges and difficulties for enterprises in production process and running business. Among all strategies, the management sector has to put more effortinto ensuring sufficient electricity sources is provided for production and business; coordinating in implementing solutions to support enterprises in production and business development; taking advantage of the National Trade Promotion Program to assist enterprises to expand their export markets. The sector are required to well perform inspection and audit work with the purpose of detect and prevent in time all acts of commercial fraud, smuggling, production of counterfeit goods, fake goods, poor-quality goods and goods infringing upon food hygiene and safety standards. In that way, it contributes its effort to help market to develop healthily and stably, supply and demand of goods to stay steady, the legitimate interests of producers and consumers to be protected.
Thien Binh