Pakistan Seafood Exports to Vietnam Jump 20% as Halal Trade Cooperation Deepens
Pakistan’s seafood exports to Vietnam witnessed a significant 20% rise in 2024, reaching $9 million, as both countries agreed to strengthen collaboration in the Halal seafood industry. The development marks a promising shift in bilateral trade relations, with a shared focus on regulatory alignment, technical cooperation, and investment in aquaculture.
The boost in trade and future cooperation plans were discussed in a recent high-level meeting involving Vietnam’s Ambassador to Pakistan, Pham Anh Tuan, officials from the Pakistan Fisheries Exporters Association, Pangasius fish importers, and the Director General of the Marine Fisheries Department (MFD), Dr Mansoor Ali Wassan.
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Dr Wassan underscored Pakistan’s growing capabilities in aquaculture and Halal-certified fish processing. He highlighted the country’s evolving infrastructure, particularly in cold chain systems and certification standards, which could pave the way for Pakistan to rival or surpass Vietnam’s seafood exports to the country in the near future.
He proposed setting an annual seafood export target of $25–30 million to Vietnam within the next five years. “This is not only realistic but strategically beneficial for diversifying Pakistan’s marine export portfolio,” Dr Wassan said, pointing to emerging opportunities in the Halal segment.
Ambassador Pham Anh Tuan echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the need for stronger coordination between the two nations’ seafood industries. He reaffirmed Vietnam’s commitment to Halal standards for seafood exports to Pakistan and called for enhanced institutional cooperation to support long-term sectoral growth.
The meeting also spotlighted the potential for Pakistan to learn from Vietnam’s aquaculture success. Dr Wassan noted that Pakistan is keen to deepen bilateral engagement to develop its fisheries sector, viewing Vietnam’s aquaculture achievements as a model for sustainable industry growth.
Asim Abrar, Executive Committee Member of the Pakistan Fisheries Exporters Association, noted that Pakistan is transitioning from a raw seafood exporter to an emerging player in value-added segments like shrimp farming. He credited Vietnam’s advancements as an inspiration for this strategic shift.
The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to foster long-term trade collaboration and technical exchange in the Halal seafood domain, positioning both nations to benefit from evolving consumer demand and expanding global markets.
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