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US tra fish buyers are still seeking supplies from Vietnam despite the US Department of Commerce (DOC)’s decision to increase anti-dumping duty on the product, resulting in increased import costs.

The Cong Thuong (Industry-Trade) newspaper on September 13 quoted the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) as saying that tra fish exports to the US fell slightly in February and March this year after the DOC increased the anti-dumping duty imposed on the product imported from Vietnam between August 2010 and July 2011.

However, the market then stabilised, and prices returned to pre-March levels.

According to the newspaper, Maritime Products International Company in Newport News (Virginia), one of the first US enterprises to import tra fish from Vietnam to make fish and chips, said it believes that there is potential for Vietnamese tra fish in the US market.

Meanwhile Clear Spring Foods, a producer in Buhl, Idaho, said tra fish supply from Vietnam remains stable.

The company continues to introduce new products with tra fish after the market accepted tra fillet products.

The newspaper quoted President of QVD Aquaculture Chris December as saying that the DOC’s decision shocked the market for four weeks. However, QVD Aquaculture still posted double-digit growth of tra fish products under the brand names of Basa Vina Pearl, H2Origins and Vina Pacific.

The company is pouring more investment into its supply chain to raise production capacity by 250 percent to meet demand.

Source: VNA