Vietnam shrimp exports sharply increased

Seafood exports to the EU in 2013 reached US$1.18 billion, of which shrimp sales got US$409 million, pangasius exports reached US$385.4 million. EU is the third largest consumer after the U.S. and Japan. In 2013, shrimp exports to this market recovered significantly later than one year falling due to the economic crisis.

Imported shrimp on the market continued to improve in 2014 thanks to the economic recovery. According to statistics from the World Trade Centre (ITC), shrimp imports into the EU in the first 2 months of 2014 increased 19.8 percent compared to the same period in 2013. Shrimp importing into major markets in the block also increased strongly such as France up 25.5 percent, Spain +45.8 percent, Belgium and the Netherlands increased by 41.5 percent and 48.3 percent respectively. Due to the "sinking" of the economic crisis, Spain was no longer the top shrimp importer in the eurozone. France became the biggest shrimp consumer in EU and this is also the third largest consumer of Vietnam shrimp in this area.

Vietnam is now the third largest shrimp supplier to EU. Vietnam shrimp imports into the EU first 2 months of 2014 also showed a positive growth of 49.1 percent compared with the same period in 2013. Not only Vietnam, India, Ecuador and Indonesia also have great growth in the market in the first 2 months of this year. Thailand shrimp imports into EU decreased 50.2 percent has created more opportunities for other countries.

Tariff on processed shrimp imported from Thailand by EU has increased from 7 percent to 20 percent in 2014 and the tax rate for the Thai raw shrimp imported by the EU will increase from 4.2 percent to 12 percent by 2015.