The value of seafood exports this year could increase to 7 billion USD,but the fisheries industry will have to overcome several obstacles toachieve that target.

The industry is depending on a surge in exports of shrimp, prawns and tra fish to achieve the 7 billion USD export target.

However, Truong Dinh Hoe, General Secretary of the Vietnam Associationof Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), noted that this year, theopportunities to raise seafood exports will be few because the market isrelatively unpredictable, according to the news website VnEconomy.

For instance, Vietnam gained 3 billion USD in export orders for shrimpand prawns last year. The expectation is that export orders will climbto 3.5 billion USD this year.

However, achieving thehigher target may be difficult because producers in other countries,such as Thailand, Indonesia and Ecuador, are recovering from the shrimpand prawn disease that reduced their output last year.

As aresult, competition will be more intense this year and Vietnameseexports may not increase very rapidly, Hoe pointed out.

Additionally, the prices of shrimp and prawns could decline in the worldmarket this year, after hitting record highs last year, he added.

If the industry manages to generate 7 billion USD in exports, it wouldrepresent an increase of 280 million USD, Hoe noted, saying that it wasnot a high target.

However, given the changing situation in theglobal market, the expectations of high prices for seafood this yearcould be unrealistic.

It seems almost certain that the industrywill export seafood worth 6.7-6.8 billion USD in 2014, although exportsof 7 billion USD are possible given suitable market conditions.

Last year, Vietnam exported seafood products to 156 markets around theworld, and earned 6.7 billion USD, higher than the target of 6.5 billionUSD set earlier in the year.-VNA