(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first 3 months of 2016, Vietnam’s export value of seafood totalled US$1.45 billion, up 6.4% compared to the same period last year. However, Vietnam seafood exporters had to face stiff competition on prices, trade barriers in large markets.
Shrimp
As of Mar 2016, the export value of shrimp hit US$619.2 million, up 7.9% year on year. Of that, the sales of whiteleg shrimp gained US$353.9 million, up 4.1%; and exports of black tiger shrimp valued US$213.7 million, up 19.9% compared to the same period in 2015. In QI/2016, these results posted a year-on-year positive growth thanks to drops in shrimp production from some large suppliers (Ecuador, India, and Thailand) that were driven by the impacts of climate change, bad weather, and diseases.
Moreover, the anti-dumping duty in the POR9 announced in Sep 2015 was much lower than its in the POR8 and lower than the preliminary result announced in Mar 2016. Demand for shrimp in some major markets such as the U.S. and the EU also increased. It is expected that shrimp price will be up in the coming quarters.
Compared with some competitors in the region (Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, and India), shrimp prices of Vietnam (especially black tiger shrimp) get more competitive in the global market. In the late 2015, China lifted black tiger shrimp import ban from Vietnam, therefore, this facilitated exports to this market.
Pangasius
Through Mar 2016, pangasius exports valued US$365.4 million, a slight year-on-year increase of 2.4%. In QI/2016, the export value of pangasius to many major markets recorded the downward trend: the EU decreased by 6.8%; ASEAN with -0.4%; Mexico with -32.8%; Colombia with -20.3%; and Saudi Arabia with -11.8% over the same period last year. Meanwhile, the sales to the U.S. grew by 3.4%; China - Hong Kong with +48.2% and Brazil with +542.2% year on year. So far, pangasius exports to EU slowed down due to high requirements and lower prices. Pangasius exports to the U.S. in the coming quarters may continue the downward trend. Importing demand from some potential markets such as Mexico, Colombia, and ASEAN was unstable. Until now, China - Hong Kong and Brazil are two markets reporting the highest growth in importing Vietnam pangasius.
Tuna
In QI/2016, the export value of tuna touched US$98.5 million, down 5.5% compared to the same period of 2015. In particular, the sales to the 2 largest markets (the U.S. and the EU, accounting for 61.5% of the total value) decreased by 4.4% and 14.3% respectively year on year. Exports to some other main markets also posted a fall: Japan with -5.9%; Mexico with -52.7% and Canada with -42.5% compared to the same period of 2015. After the slump in 3 consecutive years, Japan was downgraded from the 3rd rank to the 5th rank in the top 10 largest tuna importers of Vietnam (behind the U.S., the EU, ASEAN, and Israel).
Other marine products
Export value of other types (except for HS code 0307 and 16) increased by 19.5%; mollusks (cuttlefish, octopus and bivalve mollusks) fell by 3.6%; crabs, and other crustaceans up 12.6% over the same period last year. The instability in sales of these items were driven by lack of raw materials, an intense competition with other seafood products in the global market.
Written by Ta Ha
Compiled by Dieu Thuy