Seafood enterprises fight against the pandemic, maintain export orders

Processing seafood for export at Sao Ta Foods Joint Stock Company

Amid the Covid-19 pandemic spreading in some localities in the country as well as Ho Chi Minh City, enterprises processing and exporting two main products, shrimp and pangasius in the Mekong Delta have been strictly implementing the 5K message of the Ministry of Health. Therefore, no workers working in shrimp and pangasius processing enterprises in the Mekong Delta have been infected with Covid-19.

According to VASEP, Vietnam's seafood export turnover is mainly concentrated in the Mekong Delta provinces – where there are many sources of aquatic materials for farming and exploitation.

In the first five months of 2021, seafood exports of 13 provinces in the Mekong Delta region reached nearly US$2 billion, accounting for 60% of the total seafood export turnover of the country, exports of six provinces in the Southeast region accounted for 18% with US$602 million, the rest are in the central and northern provinces.

Soc Trang is the locality with the second-largest seafood export turnover in the country (after Ho Chi Minh City) with US$346.5 million, accounting for 10.4%, Ca Mau ranked third with US$315.2 million, accounting for 9.5%. These are two provinces with strengths in shrimp export. Dong Thap leads the country in exporting pangasius, with seafood export turnover in the first five months of the year reaching US$271 million, accounting for 8% of the country's exports.

Several localities located have suffered great consequences due to the impact of Covid-19 when many businesses and industrial parks had to stop operating, a great impact not only on the production and business situation but also disrupting the supply chain of goods around the world. Shrimp and pangasius processing and exporting enterprises in the Mekong Delta actively raised their vigilance and took more measures to focus on protecting the health of workers in factories.

Besides, many enterprises have established a Steering Committee for Covid-19 prevention and control, building many specific scenarios, even in the worst-case if workers are infected. Enterprises have also been actively guided and equipped with knowledge and skills and supported the prevention and control of the Covid-19 pandemic for workers and employees to ensure both stable production and business while ensuring safety. Efforts to apply achievements from the fourth industrial revolution to increase productivity, governance, and control, maximize benefits and maintain sustainable exports.

According to Mr. Ho Quoc Luc, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Sao Ta Foods Joint Stock Company, in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, to minimize the impact on production and export, FMC prepared the worst-case scenarios in each unit and the whole company to be more proactive when unexpected situations occur.

Every day, the enterprise's Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control receives progress updates from units to draw conclusions and provide additional solutions. Regularly keep in contact between businesses and customers to promptly grasp the situation of consumption and export goods as quickly as possible to minimize risks.

Accompanying enterprises, recently, VASEP and seafood enterprises have also proposed to the Government to prioritize access to vaccines for workers in member enterprises and committed to join hands with the Government on the budget for vaccination.

The rapid deployment of the Covid-19 vaccines for workers and employees is the first choice for enterprises to reduce risks, avoid unnecessary damage and maintain stable production and business.

Besides pandemic prevention, enterprises also focus on deep processing, such as reducing product costs by taking advantage of waste products, creating many consumer products from waste products for domestic sale or export, making nutritional products, cooking oil, fishmeal, other products such as fish cakes, fish stomachs; increasing product value through research and processing of high-value products such as breaded, seasoned, baked, especially in the current period, consumers need ready-made products.

By the end of May 2021, the total value of Vietnam's seafood exports reached US$3.27 billion, up 13.8% over the same period last year. In which, shrimp export value reached US$1.31 billion, up 11.8%; pangasius export value reached US$637.8 million, up 14.7%; tuna reached US$291.5 million, up 21% over the same period in 2020.

Currently, seafood enterprises still ensure good prevention of the Covid-19 pandemic at factories and localities. Production and export activities have remained stable, ensuring smooth export orders that are increasing in the second half of this year.