Japan’s Hokugan Ltd Company has plans to build a plant to process ocean tuna and other aquatic products in Vietnam’s Dong Tac fishing port
According to the provincial department of planning and investment, the Japanese firm has studied a 16,500 sq m site in Dong Tac fishing port for investment since September 2014.
Director of Hokugan Ltd Company Kawahira Manabu said that the plant would have a capacity to process 1,800 tonnes of products per month.
The two sides have also discussed fishing equipment and technique support for local fishermen.
Le Van Truc, vice-chairman of provincial People’s Committee, said that the province would address land clearance issue in the next three months and will continue to exchange information with the Japanese firm to expedite the implementation of the project, which would provide fishing tools for locals in Tuy Hoa’s Ward 6.
Phu Yen’s annual catch is 6,000 tonnes of ocean tuna and 3,000 tonnes of cuttlefish, said Truc, adding that the output and quality would increase, thanks to the modern Japanese technology.
The Okinawa-based company may also build a high-quality ice water production plant for improved seafood preservation.
According to the general department of fisheries under Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, three central provinces of Binh Dinh, Phu Yen and Khanh Hoa possess 2,826 tuna fishing vessels. However, 30 per cent of them are commercially unviable.
Currently, Vietnam’s tuna sector is facing numerous difficulties. Tuna output from the East Sea fishing ground dipped 30 per cent due to climate change.
Tuna exports by 30 June had dropped eight per cent to US$224.7mn against the same period last year due to lesser demand in the world market and unstable quality of Vietnam’s tuna, according to the general department of customs.
Meanwhile, Vietnam would also send a working group to the Philippines to learn tuna fishing and processing technologies, said Vu Van Tam, deputy minister of agriculture and rural development.
