Vietnamese bivalve molluscs conquers demanding markets

November saw Lenger Vietnam Seafood Co., Ltd export its first container of canned clam to the EU, with production and processing procedures meeting the stringent standards set by the fastidious market.

At present, the company has received numerous orders to export clams to the EU market, while simultaneously preparing raw materials in a bid to fulfil orders made by foreign partners early next year, said Lo Thi Kim Dung of the company’s Import-Export Department.

Furthermore, the firm has continued modernising its production line as it seeks potential customers from Japan, the Republic of Korea, and Russia for its canned clams.

Along with Lenger Vietnam Seafood Co., Ltd., a number of local seafood companies such as the Thanh Hoa Seafood Import-Export Joint Stock Company, Minh Dang Co., Ltd., Thai Binh Clam Co., Ltd, Viet Long Kien Giang Co., Ltd., and Ben Tre Seafood Joint Stock Company are taking advantage of available domestic raw materials. This is being done as a means of increasing exports to foreign markets, especially the EU market.

According to details given by the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), the EU remains the largest consumer of Vietnamese bivalve molluscs, duly accounting for 62% of the country’s total export value.

Vietnamese bivalve mollusk exports to the EU market by mid-November surged by 38.5% to reach US$73.7 million against the same period from last year, with key export products including white clams and frozen cooked brown clams.

Italy, Spain, and Portugal make up the three single largest importers in the bloc of Vietnamese bivalve molluscs during the reviewed period.

This comes as exports to Italy edged up 49% to reach over US$22 million, followed by Spain with US$21.3 million, and Portugal with US$17.5 million.

The average export price of the product in the Italian market ranges between US$2.35 and US$2.69 per kilo, while that in Spanish and Portuguese markets typically hovers between US$1.7 and US$2 per kilo.

Although France ranks sixth in terms of importing Vietnamese bivalve mollusc within the EU, exports of the product to the demanding market recorded the best growth rate of 191% during the reviewed period.

Experts attributed the rise in bivalve mollusc exports to the EU to the growing market demand, stable production of clams, and tax incentives following the implementation of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA).

Vietnam looks to promote export to Brazil

According to the Vietnam Trade Office in Brazil, Vietnamese businesses need to cooperate closer with partners in order to boost exports to Brazil in the last month of 2021 as the American market’s import and export activities have recorded a stable growth.

Producing footwear for export (Photo: VNA)

Two-way trade between Vietnam and Brazil  hit 5.74 billion USD in the last 11 months, up nearly 36.8 percent year-on-year, with Vietnam's exports to Brazil valued at 2.04 billion USD, up 24.7 percent year-on-year, reported VNA.

Sharp increases were seen in the shipment to Brazil of items such as iron and steel, furniture products, computers, electronic products, bamboo and rattan products, sedge carpets, vehicles and spare parts, technical fabrics, rubber, textile fibers, aquatic products, textile raw materials, footwear, rubber products, and bags.

Vu Ba Phu, director of Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency of the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT), said although the COVID-19 pandemic has had a negative impact on the economy, trade between Vietnam and Brazil has grown, so businesses of the two sides still have many opportunities to improve trade turnover in the coming time.

According to deputy head of the European-American Market Department of the MoIT Vo Hong Anh, the value of exports to Brazil has been improved with an increasingly diverse range of trade commodities such as mobile phones, electronic equipment, iron and steel, footwear, chemicals, agricultural products, and processed foods, and raw materials for livestock feeds and some other production industries.

Vietnamese, Indian firms cooperate in petrochemical refinery projects

Vietnam's largest refining and petrochemical firm, Binh Son Refining and Petrochemical JSC (BSR), will cooperate with Indian Oil of India to develop petrochemical refinery projects in Vietnam, India and third countries, reported VNA.

The Dung Quat oil refinery (Photo: VNA)

Under a Memorandum of Understanding just signed by the two enterprises in India, the two sides will evaluate cooperation opportunities in the fields of oil and gas processing and energy in Vietnam, India and third countries.

BSR and Indian Oil will join hands in developing a project on upgrading and expanding Dung Quat oil refinery; conducting an overall maintenance of Dung Quat oil refinery to improve efficiency as well as reduce costs and time and increase productivity.

The MoU is hoped to open up opportunities for cooperation between the two firms in developing process design packages (PDPs), basic engineering design packages (BEDPs) for non-copyrighted technology workshops and workshops using indigenous technology of Indian Oil.

The two sides will promote research and development (R&D), especially research and improvement of petroleum products, alternative fuels and fuel additives as well as optimize the production process of oil refining and energy conversion plants.

They will also cooperate in providing consulting services in the supply and processing chain of petroleum products related to overall maintenance management, and support for project management.

Indian Oil is  one of the leading firms in the region in refining oil, transporting crude oil and petroleum products, petrochemical production, and trading gas, petroleum and chemical products in India and abroad.

Binh Son Refining and Petrochemical JSC is a subsidiary of the Vietnam Oil and Gas Group ( PetroVietnam). BSR is managing and operating Dung Quat oil refinery plant in Quang Ngai province. The firm has laid the foundation for the development of Vietnam's petroleum refining and petrochemical industry.

Students in areas with high pandemic risks suspend direct learning from December 20

According to a proposal of Hanoi City Department of Education and Training, students in areas with high COVID-19 pandemic risk will return to online learning from December 20.

Photo for illustration (Source: hanoimoi.com.vn)

The move aims to ensure health safety for teachers and students amid the rising number of COVID-19 cases in the capital city.

Under Notice 844/TB-UBND dated December 17 of the municipal People's Committee, 2 districts and 25 communes in the city are now facing third-level pandemic risk, corresponding to orange zone status. The two districts are Hai Ba Trung and Dong Da.

Previously, Ba Vi district was the first locality in Hanoi to organize direct teaching at school for 9th grade students from November 8.

Students in areas with high pandemic risks suspend direct learning 
(Source: thanhnien.vn)

From the results of implementation at schools in Ba Vi district, Hanoi city has expanded the organization of direct teaching for 9th grade students of 18 districts and towns from November 22, and 12th grade students of 30 districts and towns from December 6.

According to preliminary statistics from the Hanoi City Department of Education and Training, about 64,000 grade 9 and 12 students are back in school. Teaching and learning at schools is deployed flexibly with many options to respond to the epidemic situation, ensuring the safety of students and teachers./.