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| Basa fish exports to Egyptian market to be promoted |
Vietnam’s seafood exports to Egypt include peeled shrimp, white and red basa fillet. However, over the past year, demand for these goods began to decline due to the incorrect information by the Egyptian media, which has destroyed both Vietnam exporters and Egypt importers.
Early 2009, before the misleading information about Vietnam’s basa fish was released, Vietnamese basa products were present throughout Egypt, not only in large and small supermarkets, wholesale markets, but also many retail stores in small markets. |
 The Vietnam Commercial Counselor to Egypt said that with its current demands and population, if Vietnam improves its marketing, its export turnover of basa fish to Egypt is likely to increase to US$300 million.
Egypt with a population of over 80 million has always been considered as a potential export market for Vietnam’s fish. However, export turnover of Vietnam;s basa fish to this market is still lower than its potential.
Vietnam seafood exports to Egypt reached 68 million USD in 2008, 60 million USD in 2009, and only 12.2 million USD in the first four months of this year. This decrease is due to incorrect information about Vietnam’s basa fish by the Egyptian media in late March 2009. Although , Vietnam’s basa fish has been liked consumption remains low while demand is still very high.
Seafood is a long-standing popular dish in Egypt. However, domestic supplies from big lakes likeNile river, aquatic farms are impossible to meet the demand for different kinds of seafood. Therefore, Egypt has to import a large volume of seafood such as squid, shrimp, peeled shrimp, basa fillet, sea crab meat from foreign countries .
Vietnam’s seafood exports to Egypt include peeled shrimp, white and red basa fillet. However, over the past year, demand for these goods began to decline due to the incorrect information by the Egyptian media, which has destroyed both Vietnam exporters and Egypt importers.
Early 2009, before the misleading information about Vietnam’s basa fish was released, Vietnamese basa products were present throughout Egypt, not only in large and small supermarkets, wholesale markets, but also many retail stores in small markets.
In fact, Egypt has a great demand for Vietnamese basa fish fillets, selling at reasonable prices and high quality.
Currently, this item is still available in large supermarket systems as Carefour, Metro or small supermarkets, wholesale markets in Egypt. Many 5 star hotels in Egypt used basa fish for the daily menu.
Mr. Abdal Rahman Abu Shamah, Director of the Al Hamd Company said: "Vietnam’s basa fish ranks the first among different kinds of fillet products in the Egyptian market. Demand for this product is very high. My company has imported and distributed to supermarkets, shops and big hotels in Egypt. This item is sold well. The company has imported from 30 to 40 tons per month and we expect to increase the volume to 20 tons per month. "
The management staff at seafood counters at the Carefour or Metro supermarket confirmed that Vietnam’s basa fish is high quality, tasty, easy to cook and at reasonable prices. Ashrab Metro, staff of the Metro supermarket, said his supermarket daily sells from 30-40 kg of basa fish imported from Vietnam. He said that many people are afraid of eating basa fish because they have no much information about this product.
Over the past year, the Vietnam Trade Office in Egypt in cooperation with Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Egypt, VASEP and seafood export enterprises organized workshops, forums and trade fairs to promote Vietnamese seafood products. However, the information is still limited to Egyptian consumers.
Therefore, The Vietnamese Trade Counselor to Egypt, Dang Ngoc Quang said that for sustainable development and export valueincrease in seafood especially basa fishexporters are required to ensure product quality, to stabilize prices and to strengthen advertisement via Egyptian media. |
| (Source: Ministry Agriculture and Rual Developement) |
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