(vasep.com.vn) Shrimp imports into EU in 2012 faced the worst scenario. In the first 9 months of 2012, the region’s total shrimp import value shrank 29 percent year on year from US$4.511 billion to US$3.197 billion.
Outlook of EU shrimp imports in 2013 is not expected to improve as economies are in already in recession.
EU is the second largest shrimp importer after the U.S in the world. Therefore, EU is an important consumer market of almost shrimp producers in the world. However, in 2012 shrimp shipment from many countries to EU was badly affected because of sovereign debt crisis in many European member countries.
Vietnam’s shrimp exports to EU in 2012 reached US$317.7 million, down 24.5 percent over 2011. Germany, the U.K, the Netherlands, France and Belgium were top 5 largest shrimp importers among EU block, accounting for 80 percent of total shrimp exports from Vietnam to the region. In which, shrimp exports to the Netherlands saw a reduction of 5.5 percent, exports to 4 remaining markets tumbled deeply 28 – 32 percent. Exports to other EU markets also reported the same situation. For instance, exports to Italy sank 32 percent, Spain sank 22.4 percent.
In 2012, European sovereign debt crisis happened in most eurozone countries, financial situation in Greece, Ireland, Portugal and Spain became more miserable. This badly affected production activity in the region and in the world. According to World Trade Organization (WTO), global trade growth saw a remarkable reduction, reaching 5 percent in 2011 (13.9 percent in 2010) and may reach only 2.5 percent in 2012.
Data from The International Trade Centre (ITC) showed that, during the period of Jan-Sep 2012, shrimp imports into EU from almost main suppliers edged down compared to the same period of 2011. Imports from Ecuador – the largest shrimp supplier for EU – decreased 5.5 percent to US$416 million from US$440.5 million; imports from Thailand reduced 28.8 percent to US$270 million from US$380 million.
India showing the best performance in supplying shrimp for the U.S. market in 2011 faced the same situation with Ecuador in EU market. India’s shrimp exports to EU in the first 9 months of 2012 declined 6.6 percent year on year.
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Shrimp imports into EU, Jan-Sep/2011- 2012, US$ thousand
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No.
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Suppliers
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Jan-Sep/2011
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Jan-Sep/2012
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Variation 2012 vs 2011 (%)
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Proportion 2012 (%)
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|
The world
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4,511,574
|
3,197,229
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-29.1
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100.0
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|
1
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Ecuador
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440,532
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416,042
|
-5.6
|
13.0
|
|
2
|
Thailand
|
380,401
|
270,877
|
-28.8
|
8.5
|
|
3
|
India
|
284,220
|
265,591
|
-6.6
|
8.3
|
|
4
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Bangladesh
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251,021
|
206,163
|
-17.9
|
6.4
|
|
5
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The Netherlands
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335,803
|
203,172
|
-39.5
|
6.4
|
|
6
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Argentina
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273,410
|
200,934
|
-26.5
|
6.3
|
|
7
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Canada
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197,078
|
184,608
|
-6.3
|
5.8
|
|
8
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Vietnam
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259,767
|
162,272
|
-37.5
|
5.1
|
|
9
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China
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154,139
|
128,442
|
-16.7
|
4.0
|
|
10
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Spain
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142,389
|
124,576
|
-12.5
|
3.9
|
|
11
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Belgium
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218,718
|
124,265
|
-43.2
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3.9
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|
12
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Morocco
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136,320
|
87,487
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-35.8
|
2.7
|
|
13
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Denmark
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218,911
|
68,694
|
-68.6
|
2.1
|
|
14
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Indonesia
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115,157
|
63,490
|
-44.9
|
2.0
|
|
15
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Madagascar
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64,296
|
62,757
|
-2.4
|
2.0
|
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Source: ITC
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