(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first seven months of 2018, Vietnam’s pangasius exports totaled US$1.198 billion, up 19.3% over the same period last year. In particular, the export value to the three largest markets including China - Hong Kong, the U.S and the EU posted the positive growth.
China - Hong Kong: In July 2018, the growth rate of pangasius exports to China - Hong Kong decreased compared to the previous months. Thus, in June and July 2018, the export value of pangasius to China - Hong Kong market reached US$48.4 million and US$38.4 million respectively, lower than that to the U.S market. As of July 2018, the total export value of pangasius to China - Hong Kong touched US$289.8 million, up 40.6% year on year and accounted for 24.2% of total pangasius export value.
The U.S – The EU: As of July 2018, Vietnam’s pangasius exports to the U.S and the EU rebounded with the value of US$255.3 million and US$139.1 million, up 15.6% and 16.5% respectively year on year.
For the U.S market, in July, the export value to this market reached the highest level (higher than that to the Chinese market - Hong Kong) of nearly US$58.5 million, accounting for 30% of the total pangasius exports. Vietnamese catfish exporters also took advantage of gaining the market share for tilapia in the U.S market.
In the first seven months of this year, the total value of pangasius exports to the EU reached US$139.1 million, up 16.5% from a year before. This was a good signal after 3 consecutive years of exporting pangasius to this market. Particularly, pangasius exports to the Netherlands and Italy increased sharply by 43% and 83.1%, respectively, to hit US$38.1 million and US$14 million, respectively.
ASEAN: Vietnam’s pangasius exports to three single markets in ASEAN in the first seven months of this year grew well. The export value to Thailand reached US$40.2 million, that to Singapore was US$26.8 million and that to the Philippines US$23 million with the rises of 41.2%; 26.9% and 37.7%, respectively. So far, ASEAN ranked the the fourth largest buyer of Vietnamese pangasius with total export value of US$110.6 million, up 38.5% over the same period in 2017.
Mexico - Brazil - Colombia: In July 2018, Vietnam’s pangaius exports to these 3 markets showed signs of slowing down when the export value decreased from 16-52% over the same period last year. By the end of July 2018, the export value of pangasius to Mexico reached US$52.4 million, down 5.3%; those to Brazil totaled US$43.3 million, down 31.2% and those to Colombia gained US$32.7 million to, down 2.8%. Although the export value decreased compared to the same period last year, these single markets remained as the large markets of Vietnamese pangaisus.
UAE: Vietnam’s pangasius exports to the UAE in the first seven months of 2018 increased sharply by 138%, worth by US$32.7 million. Vietnamese companies boosted their exports to Saudi Arabia. By the end of the year, Vietnam’s pangasius export value to this market forecasted to continue the 3 digit growth.