Thailand’s pangasius exports down, imports up

According to Thai Frozen Foods Association (TFFA), Thailand exported 19,236 MT of frozen fish fillets in the first quarter of 2013, having a worth of US$91.6 million, down 31.8 percent in volume and 24.5 percent in value against the same quarter of 2012. Imports of frozen fish fillets during this period reached 10,609 MT and US$28.5 million, up 24.1 percent in volume and 19.05 in value. Thailand mostly sourced products from Vietnam, which represented 56.7 percent of Thai total imports. Vietnam also got the highest growth in volume and value, among the ten leading suppliers to this market.

Thailand accounted for about 2.1 percent of Vietnamese pangasius exports, but it ranked second among importers of Vietnam in ASEAN.  Referring to the statistic data produced by Vietnam Customs, between January and May 2013, pangasius exports to Thailand valued at US$14.8 million, higher more than US$6.9 million against the compatible period of 2012. Thailand made no export sales to the U.S. in the first four months of 2013.

Thailand is a key fish processing country in the global seafood market and a competitor of Vietnam in shrimp export sector. Many Vietnamese companies said that the success of Thailand’s seafood exports was partly made by efforts of Thai government and fishery industry, over ten recent years, to upgrade technologies and improve value of processed fish products, following international requirements on production standards, food safety and a better production chain management. Thailand is investing in pangasius cultivation with plans to develop alternative fish products in the future. This may bring great challenge to other catfish and pangasius producing countries.