(vasep.com.vn) Recently, the local and international media published that China banned importing fresh, live shrimp originated from Vietnam. Some Vietnam shrimp exporters to China showed their concerns to the news. In fact, shrimp shipment to China in the past month was not affected, even exports has been boosted due to the market’s hiking demand for shrimp.
On October 23rd 2012, National Agro–Forestry-Fisheries Quality Assurance Department (NAFIQAD) received an announcement from the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) of China.
AQSIQ informed about China's temporary halt on importing Vietnam shrimp due to an infectious hypodermal and hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHHNV) detected in some batches of live black tiger shrimp from Vietnam transferred to the country. The volume of shrimp is purchased directly by Chinese traders in Vietnam.
On November 14th 2012, NAFIQAD sent the official letter No. 1963/QLCL-CL1 to live shrimp suppliers to China and regional Agro Forestry Fisheries Quality Assurance Centers of NAFIQAD and requested them to review and make a list of black tiger shrimp seed suppliers; contact with farms and local veterinary agencies in order to control epidemic situation and send testing results of IHHNV by farms and local relevant authorities.
According to Vietnam General Office of Customs, Vietnam shrimp exports to China are largely frozen shrimp. In the first 10 months of 2012, frozen raw shrimp exported to the market accounted for 96 percent (US$199 million) of the national total export value of shrimp to China. The rest of 4 percent was dried and processed shrimp.
In many past years, China was one of top 5 largest consumers of Vietnam shrimp. In 2011, China ranked the fourth position after Japan, the U.S. and EU with the proportion of 9.3 percent in importing shrimp from Vietnam.
In 2012, due to global financial chaos, Vietnam shrimp shipment to China failed to remain the strong growth seen in the previous years. However, the market is still considered as an important partner of Vietnam shrimp exporters because instable shrimp demand from other major markets such as the U.S., EU and Japan.
Between January and October 2012, Vietnam shrimp sales to China reached over US$207.2 million, up 12.8 percent over the previous year. While shrimp exports to Japan at this time rose by 6.5 percent, to the U.S. down 16.1 percent and to EU down 25.8 percent.
Along with Australia, China is regarded one of two potential markets of Vietnam shrimp in the rest time of the year thanks to China’s high demand for shrimp in the upcoming the New Year and Lunar New Year.