Jan-Jul 2018: Up 26% in Vietnam shrimp sales to EU

Exports to the three major markets (the Netherlands, the UK, Germany) rose by 46%, 20% and 36%, respectively in the first seven months of this year.

The Netherlands and the UK were the two largest shrimp importers of Vietnam in the EU. In the first half of this year, shrimp exports to the Netherlands hit over US$107 million, up 74% over the same period last year. Vietnam stayed as the largest supplier of shrimp to the Netherlands, accounting for 22% of the total import value into this market in 2017. India ranked the second, accounting for 15.1%. In this market, the share of Vietnamese shrimp was on the upward trend from 11.5% in 2015 to 22.5% in 2017, while the proportion of Indian shrimp (the main competitor of Vietnam in this market ) was down from 18% in 2015 to 15% in 2017.

From the second rank in top shrimp importers of Vietnam in the EU, from September 2017, the Netherlands became the leading shrimp importer of Vietnam and kept its rank up to now. Of that, sales of whiteleg shrimp to , the Netherlands accounted for the highest rate of 86%, followed by black tiger shrimp with 10% and other shrimp with 4%. In the country, the demand for processed whiteleg shrimp (HS code 16) from Vietnam was on the upward trend.

Within the EU, the UK stayed as Vietnam's second largest shrimp importer behind the Netherlands, accounting for 23% of Vietnam's shrimp exports to the EU and accounting for 5.7% of total shrimp exports to all markets. In the first half of 2018, Vietnam’s shrimp exports to the UK reached US$93 million, up 23% over the same period last year. Over the last three years, Vietnam’s shrimp exports to the UK have grown steadily from US$114.6 million in 2014 to US$210.6 million in 2017, an increase of nearly 84%. Shrimp exports to the UK tended to increase as the UK boosted imports of warmwater shrimp thanks to affordable prices to replace coldwater shrimp. The price of coldwater shrimp is increasing due to a decline in the production.

Vietnam’s shrimp exports to the EU market still enjoys the GSP incentives and while the two competitors (India and Thailand) strongly reduced their exports to this market.

The EU increased imports of steamed raw shrimp for processing and re-exporting. In addition, the products meeting the requirements of environmental and social responsibility are also selected by consumers.