(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam shrimp exports to Japan reported the year-on-year reduction in Jan, Feb 2016; went up in March and continued the fall in April. In Jan-Apr 2016, shrimp sales from Vietnam to the market downed 0.1% to reach US$145,7 million.
The decline was attributable to weak yen, economic downturn and high shrimp price.
According to ITC, in Jan-Apr 2016, shrimp imports into Japan reached 62,300 MT, worth by US$645.7 million, up 11.4% in volume and 2.9% in value from the same period of last year. The rise was thanks to lower average import price and recovery in domestic consumption.
The statistics of ITC showed that, Vietnam remained to be the largest shrimp supplier to Japan, followed by Thailand; Indonesia and India held the 3rd and 4th rank. Among top 10 largest suppliers to Japan, shrimp imports from Indonesia, China reduced in volume and value. Imports from Thailand and India rose both in volume and value. Remarkably, shrimp imports from India rose sharply 70% and 55.4% in volume and value, respectively. Due to economic downturn, Japanese importers tend to purchase cheap shrimp from India.
In Jan-Apr 2016, the average price of shrimp imported into Japan reached US$10.23/kg, lower than that of Jan-Apr 2015 (US$11.25/kg). Among top 4 leading suppliers to Japan, the average import price from Indonesia reached the highest, followed by Vietnam. In Japan market, Vietnamese shrimp must compete with Thailand and India in price.
Thailand tend to raise its shrimp exports to Japan. Shrimp exports by Thailand to Japan made up 30% of total shrimp exports from 20% of the same period of 2015.
Thailand reduced exports to EU because the country lost GSP preference in the EU market. Thailand tend to raise its exports to Japan. Vietnamese shrimp will strongly compete with Thai competitors.
Shrimp demand from Japan is growing up, particularly cooked and ready to eat whole round shrimp. Vietnamese enterprises are focusing on the quality and the price of their products to boost exports to Japan.
By Kim Thu