Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has asked for practical and timely support from forestry and seafood businesses to fulfill export targets of $17.5 billion and $10 billion, respectively, in 2023.

He made the call while chairing a conference with the Vietnam Timber and Forest Product Association (VIFOREST) and the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) on April 13 on finding solutions to the difficulties facing forestry and fishery production and exports.

The Prime Minister requested that participants properly identify the difficulties and issues affecting production, processing, and distribution, and propose short and long-term solutions.

Participants reported that the forestry and fishery industries have recorded a host of achievements. Wood and wooden products are always in Vietnam’s top 10 export products, with an average export value of over $11 billion a year.

Vietnam’s seafood, meanwhile, is exported to more than 170 countries and territories and it is ranked among the top 3 global seafood exporters.

The export of timber and forest products was estimated at $17.1 billion last year, up 7.1 per cent against 2021 and exceeding the annual target by 3.8 per cent.

Seafood export revenue reached $11 billion, 23.8 per cent higher than in 2021 and 22.2 per cent higher than the annual target.

Growth has slowed in the early months of 2023, however, as the economy and the agricultural sector face many challenges. Export and import turnover of agro-forestry-fishery products was estimated at $20.63 billion in the first quarter, down 11.2 per cent year-on-year.

To help reach targets for 2023, Prime Minister Chinh asked ministries, sectors, and localities to adopt measures to address any obstacles, diversify markets, products, and supply chains, reduce costs, simplify administrative procedures, and create a favorable business and investment environment.

With export markets narrowing, it is necessary to help businesses effectively tap the domestic market with its population of 100 million, he said.

The government leader also pointed to the need to promote negotiations and continue effectively implementing Vietnam’s agreements with other countries to expand markets, speed up digital transformation, and renew technology to boost exports.