South Africa: potential market for Vietnamese tra fish

 With the population of 54 million, GDP in 2013 of US$379 billion and the average income of US$7,800 per capital, South Africa is a promising market for Vietnamese products. In 2013, the two way trade between Viet Nam and South Africa touched US$1.2 billion, 20 times higher than that of US$54 million in 2002. However, the two countries have not fully played their potentials. 

Currently, Vietnamese seafood exports to Africa are enjoying Most Favored Nation (MFN) treatment. According to VASEP, Africa would increase its imports of Vietnamese seafood, thus creating chances for Vietnamese seafood exporters. In the time to come, Vietnamese businesses should enhance their trade promotion such as organizing trade fairs, market researches to introduce Vietnamese seafood to Africans, especially, tra fish, one of the Viet Nam’s famous product which is highly preferred by consumers in the world.

According to South Africa’s Ministry of Industrial and Trade’s statistics, South Africa imported about 200 thousand tons of seafood annually, worth US$110 million. The main imported items are salmon, tuna, shrimps and tra fish. In the first four months of this year, Vietnamese tra fish export to Africa amounted to US$655,472, accounting for 81.93 per cent of total seafood export to this market.

In the coming time, Vietnamese Embassy in South Africa will continue organizing trade promotion programs in other cities of South Africa to create favourable conditions for Vietnamese exporters to boost their seafood exports to this market. According to initial assesses, African consumers and businesses are interested in Vietnamese tra fish for its quality and food hygiene and safety.

Giang Huong

http://www.fistenet.gov.vn/