Overview of Vietnamese Clam stall at the expo
Within the framework of the business promotion and market development component of the project "Sustainable and Comprehensive Development of the Clam/Bamboo Value Chain in Vietnam" (SCBV) funded by the European Union, Oxfam in Vietnam cooperated with the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) to connect with the European seafood market through the display and introduction of clams at the 2022 Global Seafood Fair, held in Barcelona, Spain.
03 leading enterprises, namely Go Dang Fisheries Joint Stock Company (GODACO), Ben Tre Fisheries Joint Stock Company Bamboo (BESEACO), Ben Tre Aquaproduct Import and Export Joint Stock Company (AQUATEX), have been selected to directly bring their products to the fair.
The booth displaying Vietnamese Clam products at Hall 4B501, which is prominently designed, attracted great attention from Clam importers and distributors from many countries. In the first 2 days, Clam Vietnam stall had nearly 100 visitors, mainly from Spain, Italy, France, USA, Portugal, UK, Turkey, Netherlands, United Arab Emirates, Korea, Republic of Egypt, Israel, Czech, Denmark, etc. The booth welcomed representatives of many big importers such as PCS, Eguillem (Spain), MARR (Italy), SCO FRO Foods, GEM Seafoods (UK), Farmersland (Denmark), JPB (Netherlands), etc.
Specifically, some European buyers shared: “We did not know that Vietnamese companies such as GODACO, AQUATEX, BESEACO could directly export clams and seafood products to the EU market as for the past 20 years, we had to buy your products through other intermediary companies. Luckily we got to know you today and were able to connect directly.”
Many purchase and sale agreements were made at the exhibition booth, which is an encouraging sign to expand the Vietnamese clam market after a long time of facing many difficulties due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Clams in the coastal areas of 3 provinces, namely Ben Tre, Tra Vinh and Tien Giang, have great advantages in terms of prestige and quality. Especially, clams in Ben Tre have been granted MSC international certification. Currently, clams in these provinces are highly appreciated for their taste, nutrition, white flesh, and thick meat. They are favorite products in many major markets in the world. Europe is the largest export market of Vietnamese clams, accounting for more than 70% of total export volume, followed by the US, Singapore, and Japan. The demand for clams in the European market is very large as clam is one of the main groups of seafood traded and consumed in the EU market. Notably, in the past year, the export of shellfish to the EU market increased sharply by 37%, reaching 87 million USD, mainly because the export of clam products increased 42% to 78 million USD. Clams have become the fourth largest seafood species in export value to the EU market. In which, clam exports to the three largest markets, Spain, Italy, and Portugal, all increased by 38-44%.
The entire clam farming area of Ben Tre province since 2009 has received the Marine Stewardship Council certification (MSC) of the Marine Stewardship Council. This is the first fishery in Vietnam and Southeast Asia to achieve this certification. This is a trademark for a well-managed, ecologically diverse, non-depleting fishery. The clam farming area in Tien Giang province is also in the process of final completion assessment for MSC certification in 2022.
The MSC helps affirm to consumers that seafood has been grown in good practice and the processed, distributed, and stocked seafood products can be clearly traced. Products are manufactured according to MSC standards to ensure food hygiene and safety, can easily penetrate into supermarkets and high-end restaurants, or be exported to fastidious markets such as the EU, Japan, etc. Product packaging is labeled with MSC Certification to help consumers recognize that this is a safe, environmentally, and socially responsible product.
In addition to supporting businesses to effectively approach buyers, staff from Oxfam in Vietnam, VCCI, and businesses have conveyed relevant messages behind the goal of developing the clam market, which is developing sustainable area for Clam material, contributing to hunger eradication and poverty alleviation, improving income and livelihood of farmers in the provinces of Ben Tre, Tra Vinh, Tien Giang. Through discussions with customers, businesses realize the clear requirements, and the necessity of implementing MSC certification, which is to certify that products are caught from a sustainable, well-managed fishery and responsibly exploited. Currently, MSC is one of the most focused eco-labels in the world, helping to certify sustainable fisheries. MSC is recognized as a passport, ensuring the development of safe seafood and as a protection brand for Vietnamese seafood products.
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Under the sponsorship of the European Union, Oxfam in Vietnam cooperates with the International Cooperation for Sustainable Aquaculture and Fisheries (ICAFIS), the Non-timber Forest Products Research Center (NTFPRC), The Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) implemented the 5-year project "Sustainable and Comprehensive Development of the Clam and Bamboo Value Chain in Vietnam" (SCBV), in the period of 2018 to 2023. The project focuses on 5 provinces: Tien Giang, Ben Tre, Tra Vinh (clam value chain), and Thanh Hoa & Nghe An (bamboo value chain). The project contributes to poverty and inequality reduction in rural areas of Vietnam by facilitating the adoption and practice of sustainability standards of clam and bamboo producers and processors; improving access to markets, finance as well as production efficiency; empowering small-scale producers and working with public-private alliances for good value chain governance.
The Global Fisheries Fair is one of the world's largest trade events in the seafood industry, serving industry experts, production and business units, and seafood supply chains. The annual fair features more than 2,000 exhibitors representing 85 countries, with nearly every type of seafood product, equipment and service, as well as buyers from more than 150 countries. According to statistics of the Organization Board, the 2019 Fair has 83% of buyers finding new partners and suppliers and making transaction decisions after the end of the fair. In 2022, the 2022 Global Seafood Expo took place from April 26 to 28 in Barcelona, Spain, which is considered to be the fisheries center of Europe, the major "market wholesale" in area with busy commercial activities.
