(vasep.com.vn) In 2014, pangasius sales continued to be overwhelmed by shrimp: The proportion of pangasius was 22 percent out of total seafood sales from 26 percent in 2013.
Total pangasius shipment in 2014 hit US$1.76 billion, up 0.4 percent year on year.
EU and the U.S. were two largest importers of Vietnam pangasius with the proportion of 19 percent for each market from 22 percent in 2013. Pangasius exports to these two markets slowed down. Fish exports to EU downed 10.7 percent due to lower importing demand, stricter inspection on chemicals and antibiotics and abundant supply of whitemeat fish like cod (the item competed with pangasius). Pangasius exports to the U.S. sank 11.5 percent partly due to high antidumping duty POR10.
Recently, according to DOC’s final results of POR10, the antidumping imposed on frozen pangasius fillet imported from Vietnam was twice higher than the preliminary result. The duty rate of nearly US$1/kg imposed on 24 Vietnam pangasius exporters adversely affected to exports to the U.S.
With the duty rate, it is planned that there are only 3 Vietnam exporters that can remain their fish exports to the U.S. They are companies that have started to export their fish to the U.S. or companies are subject to the duty rate of nearly 0 percent and aren’t named in the list of respondents in POR10. After the reduction of 11.5 percent in 2014, pangasius exports to the U.S. are likely to continue the contraction in 2015.
Vietnam pangasius exports shifted to other markets in order to compensate for the decline in fish sales to the U.S. and EU. Fish exports to China, Mexico, Brazil, ASEAN reported a positive growth.
Together with cod, pollock; tilapia is increasingly favoured and the demand for the species is on upward trend. Thus, Vietnam pangasius must compete with tilapia from China.
Pangasius production and processing in the country face lack of capital. The Government issued policies on extending debts for fish farmers; however, farmers find hard to access to bank loans due to complicated procedures.
As the market stays gloomy along with the trend to grow tilapia with pangasius (in the same rearing area), pangasius rearing area and production in 2015 will not increase from 2014, at 5.5 thousand hectares, yielding 1 million MT.
Pangasius import demand does not show any signal of recovery. Exports in Q.I/2015 can not find the recovery until Q.II/2015, after some international seafood exhibitions and trade fairs are held. Pangasius exports in 2015 will value at US$ 1.76 billion, equivalent to the value in 2014.
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