(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam continued to see slowdown sign in bivalve mollusk exports. Since beginning of 2013, export price (especially that of clam items) fell 30 percent over the compatible period of last year.
Between January and April 2013, bivalve mollusk exports increased by 6.9 percent on that of the same period of 2012, mainly contributed by growth in sales to the EU market, which represented 73 percent of total earnings. Shipment to Portugal was up 6.5 percent, Spain up 17 percent, Italy 75.7 percent.
However, in March – April 2013, slowdown sign was observed in Vietnamese exports to the U.S. and South Korea. The U.S. market reported 12.2 – 13.7 percent drop in purchase of bivalve mollusk from Vietnam. That of South Korea went down 34 – 59 percent over the same period of 2012.
The import price for bivalve mollusk is decreasing as many key consumer markets has quiet demand for this kind of products. It will be difficult for Vietnamese companies to boost exports in Q.II and Q.III/2013.
Therefore, exporters should diversify their products and carefully consider investing in bivalve mollusk export.