Since the second quarter of 2013, shrimp exports have recovered and reported continuous growth on par with that of the the same month of last year. In August this year, shrimp shipment generated US$335 million, marking the sharpest growth of 65.5 per cent. Shipment of whiteleg shrimp increased 3-fold compared to the same month of 2012, reports VASEP.
Through August, whiteleg shrimp exports of the country rose by 71 per cent compared to the same time last year while exports of black tiger shrimp increased 2.7 per cent.
So far this year, shrimp exports made up a large proportion of 41.6 per cent among Vietnam’s total seafood export value thanks to higher global price and shorter shrimp supply. In Jan-Aug of 2013, the increase in shrimp exports compensated for the decrease in other seafood exports including pangasius down 1.6 per cent; tuna (-4.6 per cent), cephalopods (-18.2 per cent) and contributed to push the total seafood exports to reach US$4.16 billion (+4.3 per cent)
Shrimp exports to all markets posted a tremendous surge, in which exports to the US with the growth of 146 per cent in August and 52 per cent in the first eight months of the year. Shrimp exports to Japan rose 23 per cent and 12.5 per cent, respectively despite ethoxyquin inspection. Shrimp exports to EU went up in August (54.5 per cent). Shrimp exports to South Korea started to recover with the growth of 96 per cent in August after the previous decline.
The proportion of whiteleg shrimp exports out of the country’s total shrimp export value is more and more increasing. This year, the proportion of whiteleg shrimp is nearly equal to that of black tiger shrimp with 46.17 per cent, increasing from 33 per cent of last year.
Shrimp exports are on upward trend in upcoming months while pangasius exports have taken the downward trend since the third quarter of this year (down 1.4 per cent in July and 7.7 per cent in August). Pangasius exports is forecasted to contract in the forthcoming months in amid difficulties in domestic fish production. Exports of this item in Jan-Aug 2013 reached US$1.13 billion, down 1.6 per cent.
Tuna exports continued to report deep dive of over 20 per cent in recent months. The figure in the first eight months of this year reached US$378 million, down 4.6 per cent. Tuna exports in 2013 is expected to register US$540 million, down five per cent over 2012.
