Market news

In recent times, Vietnam’s seafood industry has witnessed significant growth in lobster exports, especially to the Chinese market. However, from October 2023, the stop of importing ornate spiny lobster from Vietnam has taken place due to China’s application of regulations related to the Wildlife Protection Law. To address this situation, a special mechanism has been put in place, creating a thorough balance between food safety requirements and the seafood industry’s sustainable development.

Ornate spiny lobster

This special mechanism requires ornate spiny lobster exporters to comply with many strict conditions. First, shrimp seeds must be produced from sustainable farming processes, and must not be caught directly from the sea. This ensures the purity and quality of the lobster, as well as minimizing the impact on the marine environment.

In addition, the shrimp breed must be of the F2 generation, meaning it has gone through a series of breeding stages to ensure stability and genetic quality. This not only enhances production efficiency but also minimizes risks associated with genetic diversity and resistance. Importers must also meet food safety and aquatic resource management requirements. These standards include ensuring that lobster does not contain toxic substances or pathogenic bacteria, while also ensuring a stable and sustainable supply from aquaculture.

Faced with this situation, many businesses have changed to produce scalloped spiny lobster to meet the increasing demand of the Chinese market. This means there will be product diversification and increased competition in the export market. In addition, a small portion of scalloped spiny lobster is exported to China as frozen products. In addition to China, Vietnam also exports scalloped spiny lobsters and ornate spiny lobsters to Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore, and crayfish to the US.

Scalloped spiny lobsters (Image: internet)

Currently, the Chinese market accounts for 98-99% of Vietnam’s lobster export output. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has played an important role in promoting this mechanism and making efforts to resolve problems in importing and exporting ornate spiny lobsters. At the same time, research to master the technology of producing artificial lobster varieties is also being conducted, creating positive prospects for Vietnam’s seafood industry.

This special mechanism not only opens up new opportunities for Vietnamese lobster exporters but also demonstrates the commitment and close cooperation between Vietnam and China in the fields of agriculture and fisheries. In the future, maintaining and improving this special mechanism will play an important role in promoting the sustainable development of the seafood industry, while maintaining the trade cooperation relationship between Vietnam and international partners, especially China.