(vasep.com.vn) In Jan 2012, Vietnam shrimp exports to some key markets such as Japan, the U.S. and EU fell sharply from 12.2 percent to 16.3 percent on that of the same period of 2011. Shrimp exports to China (including Hong Kong), Canada or Taiwan also reduced. In contrast, Australia emerges as a potential market of Vietnam shrimp which marked a positive growth in Jan 2012.
In Feb and Mar 2012, Vietnam shrimp exports to Australia reported a triple growth which promises a bright outlook for Vietnam shrimp this year. According to General Department of Vietnam Customs, in Jan 2012, Australia imported US$3.9 million of Vietnam shrimp, up 21.1 percent from that of Jan 2011. Shrimp shipment to the market in Feb and Mar 2012 reached US$9.8 million and US$8.4 million, respectively with a growth of 173 percent and 114.6 percent.
In the first three months of 2012, total shrimp exports to the market reached over US$20 million, representing a 100.7 percent growth from that of the same period of 2011 which pushed Australia to surpass Canada to become the sixth largest shrimp importer of Vietnam.
In the past many years, Vietnam shrimp exporters has faced a “barrier” from Australian market because the country imposes strict regulation on controlling raw shrimp imported into the country. Besides, shrimp consumption demand of Australian people is not as high as that of Japan and the U.S., so many Vietnam shrimp exporters do not give priority to exporting shrimp to the market. However, amid headwinds from globally major economies, Australia becomes good destination for Vietnam shrimp, especially value-added products.
In the past 5 years (2007-2011), processed shrimp accounted for a large proportion in the structure of shrimp export to the market. In 2011, processed shrimp occupied up to 82.6 percent of total shrimp export value to Australia in which black tiger shrimp made up over 63 percent.
Statistics of The International Trade Centre (ITC) showed that Vietnam was the largest supplier of processed shrimp for Australia in the past 4 years.
Vietnam processed shrimp imports into Australia increased by 1,491 percent from US$3.4 million (in 2007) to US$54.1 million (in 2011) while at the same time, shrimp imports from Thailand (the second largest supplier) rose by 147 percent from US$20.6 million to US$51.3 million, followed by China with 16.7 percent growth from US$23 million to US$26.9 million.
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Processed shrimp (HS 160520) imports into Australia, 2007 – 2011, US$ thousand
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Origins
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2007
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2008
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2009
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2010
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2011
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Total
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52,305
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108,820
|
107,579
|
134,483
|
138,726
|
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Vietnam
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3,403
|
40,212
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39,388
|
60,149
|
54,167
|
|
Thailand
|
20,686
|
27,900
|
37,399
|
41,607
|
51,301
|
|
China
|
23,122
|
33,638
|
25,133
|
27,500
|
26,996
|
|
Malaysia
|
3,308
|
4,563
|
3,645
|
2,795
|
3,341
|
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Myanmar
|
202
|
834
|
777
|
1,023
|
981
|
|
Indonesia
|
809
|
1,055
|
512
|
670
|
584
|
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India
|
4
|
5
|
14
|
44
|
426
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