(vasep.com.vn) In the first 8 months of 2015, total pangasius exports reached US$ 1.02 billion US dollars, down 9.1% from the same period last year. Decline has been seen in exports to the US, EU, Mexico, Brazil and Colombia.
Exports to the UK increase
The EU, the second largest pangasius export market experienced decline. When most markets in the bloc declined, exports to the UK in the first 8 months of 2015 rose by 21.8%.
Exports to China ups along with the rise of China in US market
By August, Vietnam pangasius exports to the US reached US$ 207.9 million, down 1.7% from the same period last year. This market occupied 20.3% of total pangasius export from Vietnam. Pangasius exports to the US slipped from the beginning of the year. This was caused by anti-dumping duty and competition against products from China. Data from International Trade Center (ITC) revealed that through July, total US imports of pangasius and catfish fell 6-12% over the same period last year.
Previously in QI/2015, US imports of tilapia and pangasius surged by 52-53%, followed by a fall in QII/2015. Tilapia imports decreased by 12.5% while imports of pangasius and catfish downed 6.8% year on year.
It is noted that there is a rise in imports from China. In QIV/2014, pangasius and catfish sourced from China accounted for only 2.6% of imports of the US but by QI/2015, the proportion climbed to 16.2%. Starting from QIV/2014 when import from China surge 411% quarter-by-quarter, imports from China increased by 46% in QI/2015.
It is a fact that China has significantly upped imports of pangasius from Vietnam. In particular, pangasius exports to China reached US$ 99.9 million after 8 months of this year, up 48.2%. This explains the rise of China in US catfish and pangasius market.