(vasep.com.vn) The average price of shrimp imported into the United States during the first quarter of the year was 45% higher than last year, reaching $12.61 per kilogram when averaging the price on all forms and origins.
Prices and price trends overall remained relatively constant in March, considering the average price was $12.41 per kilogram during the first two months, which was 44% up year on year.
The increase on pricing bucks the usual supply-demand dynamics trend, considering it comes even as volumes increase.
The volume of shrimp imported increased to 127,066 metric tons during the first quarter, up 13% over last year.
In total value, imports were up 65% and surpassed the billion market, reaching $1.6 billion.
The volume increase certainly did not come from Thailand. Volumes on Thai imports are down a healthy 42% from last year to 13,684,628.
Meanwhile, imports from Ecuador went from 17,648t during last year’s first quarter to 22,394t this year — an increase of 26%.
India’s imports increased 20%, from 17,442t last year to 20,982t this year. Imports from Indonesia, meanwhile, went up 38%, from 17,441t last year to 24,122t this year; while Vietnam’s imports doubled, from 7,949t last year to 16,120t this year.