(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first 6 months of 2016, Vietnam bivalve mollusk exports totaled US$40.86 million, up 1.6% compared to the same period in 2015. Top 3 main importers accounting for 85% of Vietnam bivalve mollusk exports included the EU, the U.S and Japan.
The EU
The EU was the largest importer of Vietnam bivalve mollusk, making up 64% of the total exports. In Jan-Jun 2016, Vietnam exports of bivalve mollusks to the EU reached US$26.06 million, down 4.2% compared to the same period in 2015. Out of the bloc, Portugal, Spain and Italy remained the to be biggest buyers of bivalve mollusks from Vietnam.
Most of bivalve mollusk items in the European market were mussels, oysters, scallops and clams. Europe mainly provided bivalve mollusks for countries outside the region. France, Belgium and the Netherlands were the largest scallop importers as well as suppliers of many bivalve mollusk items.
In 2015, imports of processed clams into the EU decreased in value but increased in volume. The average import price of processed clams into the EU was US$3.34/kg, down from US$4.81/kg one year ago.
The EU tended to increase imports of processed clams from Vietnam. In 2015, Vietnam was also the leading suppliers of processed clams to the EU. Bivalve mollusk consumption demand in Europe reached the highest in the southern European countries such as Spain, France, Portugal, Italy and Greece.
Japan
In the first half of 2016, Vietnam bivalve mollusk exports to Japan reached US$4.22 million, down 12.4% compared to the same period in 2015. Japan was the 3rd largest importer of Vietnam, accounting for 10.3% of the totals, compared to 12% in the same period in 2015. Currently, Chinese enterprises still dominated the Japanese market with the proportion of 43-65% of the total import value into Japan. In addition, Vietnam enterprises have to compete with some other competitors such as Chile, Thailand, and New Zealand.
The US
In Jan-Jun 2016, Vietnam bivalve mollusk exports to the U.S. totaled US$4.67 million, up 78.3% over the same period last year. With strong growth, the U.S overtook the Japan to hold the 2nd position in importing bivalve mollusk from Vietnam.
The U.S. tends to increase imports of clams from Vietnam, while reduces those from some major suppliers such as China and Chile. So far, the U.S. sourced clams from 18 countries around the world.
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ASEAN
In QII/2016, Vietnam bivalve mollusk exports to ASEAN showed the downward trend. The exports to ASEAN in the first half of this year valued US$1.79 million, down 22.7% compared to the same period in 2015. Singapore stayed as the largest bivalve mollusk importer from Vietnam among countries in the bloc. Vietnam bivalve mollusk exports to ASEAN slumped in the QII/2016 and may continue to fall in the next months due to lack of raw material.
Written by Ngoc Thuy
Compiled by Dieu Thuy