(vasep.com.vn) In 2012, Vietnam shrimp shipment to EU tumbled sharply in which exports to Germany – Vietnam’s largest shrimp importer in the block – saw a reduction of 28 percent.
The most highlighed feature in shrimp export to Germany last year is great change in whiteleg exports to the market.
In 2011, whiteleg shrimp sales to Germany reached US$40.4 million, making up 35.7 percent of shrimp sales to the market while black tiger shrimp revenue generated US$63.7 million, accounting for 56.3 percent.
However, in 2012, the proportion of whiteleg shrimp amounted to 46.6 percent while black tiger shrimp fell to 45.5 percent.
In 2013, economy in eurozone is predicted to remain stagnant. Whiteleg shrimp will affirm its position in the market because German consumers prefer products with reasonable price. In January 2013, whiteleg shrimp exports to Germany made up 57.5 percent while black tiger shrimp occupied 34.8 percent of total export value.
The shift in the structure of exported shrimp will help Vietnam shrimp exporters find more opportunities in German market.
During 2006 – 2011, Vietnam was the biggest supplier of frozen shrimp for Germany. In 2012, due to European economic turmoil, instability in domestic shrimp production, Vietnam was downgraded to the third largest supplier with export value of US$44.1 million in the first 11 months of the year. Thailand ranked the fourth with the value of US$33.1 million.
Vietnam has advantages in exporting frozen shrimp. Whiteleg shrimp exports are increasingly going up on par with that of other shrimp species.
In 2012, whiteleg shrimp exports from Vietnam reached over US$741 million, up 5.3 percent over 2011 while exports of black tiger shrimp gained US$1.25 billion, less than 12.6 percent.
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• German does not cultivate tropical shrimp and, therefore, in completely reliant on imports to satisfy its demand for tropical shrimp.
• Between 2006 and 2011, the volume of shrimp imports (frozen and prepared) from developing countries increased by 87 percent: from 21,000 tonnes in 2006 to 38,500 tonnes in 2011. Imports from developing countries accounted for about 60 percent of total volume shrimp imports in Germanybetween 2006 and 2011. India, Bangladesh and Vietnam were the three biggest suppliers of frozen shrimp, while Thailand, India and Honduras were the top three supplier countries for prepared/preserved shrimp.
• Between 2006 and 2011, German exports of prepared shrimp increased by 12 percent: from 15,300 tonnes in 2006 to 17,200 tonnes in 2011. Exports in 2007, 2008 and 2009 have been lower than 2006. In the period 2006 to 2008, exports declined on average by 16 percent per annum.
Between 2009 and 2011, exports increased on average by 17.3 percent per annum. Prepared shrimp can include both tropical shrimp as well as domestically caught shrimp.
• Re-export of frozen Penaeus shrimp more than doubled between 2006 and 2011: from 2,000 tonnes in 2006 to 5,100 tonnes in 2011, an average increase of 23 percent per annum. The port of Bremen in an important entry point for seafood in the EU and, increasingly, is becoming a distribution centre for re-exports to other EU countries. In 2009, most frozen Penaeus shrimp went to Austria, theNetherlands and Spain.
• In 2011, about 97 percent of Germany’s prepared shrimp exports went to European countries, approximately 62 percent of which went to the Netherlands.
• On average, German shrimp production (Atlantic shrimp) and consumption remained relatively stable between 2006 and 2010 with slight fluctuations. Average shrimp consumption in Germany was equivalent to 1.4 kg per capital per annum.
• The largest distributors in the German retail market are discount stores, which have a 50 percent market share. The top three retailers, Aldi, Lidl and Penny (REWE), have a stranglehold on the fish and seafood sector (about 34 percent of the market share).
(CBI Report on German Shrimp Market)
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