The Norwegian Trade Council (NTC), Bangkok has recently put up a seafood show and at Vietnam Fisheries International Fair (VietFish) held in Ho Chi Minh City on June 14-17, 2003.
NTC’s first and successful presence at the exhibition was a arranged in cooperation with Tohkaiya – the biggest importer of Norwegian seafood in Bangkok – and two Norwegian suppliers, as well as with funding from the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Hanoi.
Among other seafood products, Tohkaiya has prepared NorwayÕs famous smoked salmon for buyers and visitors to taste. Many of the comments were “taste good, but looks raw.”
“During the four days, we met a lot of interesting importers,” says Ivar Hoff, the Commercial Counsellor at NTC Bangkok.
“We have to follow up at least 20 companies who showed interests in Norwegian Seafood products.”
According to Mr. Hoff, the export from Norway to Vietnam is now at an interesting level.
In 2002 seafood export to Vietnam was 311 tonnes, up from 91 tonnes in 2001. The export for the first seven months of 2003 totals 378 tonnes, compared to 130 tonnes in the same period the earlier year.
“That means the export to Vietnam will within a year or two reach 1,000 tonnes,” he says.
A successful company A&S Thai Works Co., Ltd. with Mr. Sverre Golten also had their own booth at the fair to show off their fishmeal plants and other products.
“We have had a great success the years we have participated in this event and we will be back next year,” says Sverre Golten.
