Kiosk of Vietnamese company at the Asia-Pacific Food Expo 2015 in Singapore. Twenty-four Vietnamese enterprises are participating in the 2016 Global Seafood Expo in Brussels, Belgium, on April 26-28. — VNA/VNS Photo Lê Hải

HÀ NỘI — Twenty-four Vietnamese enterprises are participating in the 2016 Global Seafood Expo in Brussels, Belgium, on April 26-28.

Hoping to increase seafood exports to the EU, the enterprises have brought famous Vietnamese products, including tra, basa fish and shrimp, to the event. Trần Văn Dũng, representative of the Việt Nam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), said Vietnamese seafood businesses have prepared equipment and processing technologies to further penetrate the European market once the EU-Vietnam free trade agreement (EVFTA) comes into effect.

Alexis Fergay, general director of French seafood company NEPTUNE, told Vietnam News Agency’s correspondent in Brussels that he was a loyal customer of Vietnamese seafood enterprises. He said he particularly enjoyed Việt tra and basa fish and was hoping to further expand his business partnership with Vietnamese enterprises, especially once the EVFTA was enforced.

Karakou Pheni, a customer from Côte d’Ivoire, said Vietnamese catfish was his favourite. He said the seafood dishes presented at the expo tasted wonderful and hoped he could buy these items at supermarkets in Belgium soon

The Vietnamese Trade Office in Belgium also organised a workshop on the EU’s seafood market and opportunities for Vietnamese enterprises during the event.

Nguyễn Ngọc Oai, deputy head of the Việt Nam Directorate of Fisheries, said Việt Nam had improved its legal framework and institutions for fishery management following the European Commission’s proposals.

According to statistics from VASEP, Việt Nam earned US$1.4 billion from seafood exports in the first quarter of 2016, a year-on-year rise of 9 per cent.

Together with the United States and Japan, the EU is an important importer of Vietnamese seafood, accounting for 18 per cent of the country’s total export volume. — VNS