Big increase in Vietnam shrimp exports to China

In first 10 months of 2013, Vietnam sold seafood to 156 markets. Top 10 largest markets of Vietnam seafood were the U.S., EU, Japan, China, South Korea, ASEAN, Australia, Brazil, Mexico, Russia, accounting for 85 percent of Vietnam’s total seafood export value, equaling to that of the same time of 2012.

During this time, out of Vietnam’s total seafood export value, seafood exports to Japan made up 17 percent, down 0.6 percent from proportion of 2012, the proportion of seafood exports to EU downed 1.5 percent, the proportion of South Korea downed 1.2 percent; however, the proportion of the U.S. and China rose 2 percent and 1.6 percent, respectively. China overtook South Korea to claim the fourth largest importer of Vietnam seafood. In terms of single markets, China ranked only after the U.S. and Japan.

Vietnam seafood exports to markets, Jan – Oct 2013 (US$mil.)
Markets	QI/2013	QII/2013	QIII/2013	Compared to QIII/2012 (%)	Jan-Oct 2013	Compared to Jan- Oct 2012 (%)
Japan	211.162	294.637	310.945	+9.7	816.744	+2.6
The U.S.	237.868	371.380	448.767	+35.2	1,240.970	+21.9
EU	237.162	275.141	320.458	+10.0	967.926	+1.29
Germany	45.230	44.660	58.651	+13.3	171.179	+3.5
Italia	29.820	38.973	38.248	-2.3	122.621	-4.1
The U.K	23.449	31.716	44.350	+40.3	119.271	+29.3
The Netherlands	27.256	31.734	34.211	+0.02	105.348	-10.2
Spain	29.718	31.458	29.213	-6.7	100.807	-10.6
South Korea	82.689	107.926	139.640	+8.7	394.212	-4.4
Australia	38.274	42.310	58.728	+3.2	165.508	+4.5
China	98.480	132.345	159.249	+39.8	462.393	+36.7
including: - Hong Kong	27.061	31.865	32.977	-2.1	103.605	-7.7
ASEAN	80.992	94.215	104.603	+10.5	319.080	+11.2
Brazil	24.675	27.205	28.106	+59.6	92.687	+60.3
Mexico	28.469	27.606	22.545	-7.5	86.786	-0.1
Russia	11.694	16.728	29.642	+40.4	76.757	-3.8
Others	209.520	248.977	278.009	+8.2	834.814	+3.2
Total	1,260.987	1,638.470	1,900.691	+17.3	5,575.964	964

According to Report on Vietnam seafood exports in Q.III/2013, seafood exports to China got the sharpest growth with two-digit level. So far this year, seafood exports to China reported monthly export turnover of nearly US$45 million including US$28 million of shrimp sales, making up 68 percent of total seafood sales. Shrimp exports to China got a monthly growth of 25-115 percent. In some months of this year, China overtook EU in importing Vietnam shrimp.

In QIII/2013, seafood exports to China climbed up 40 percent to US$159 million including US$109 million from shrimp sales.

Among Vietnam’s total shrimp sales to China, processed shrimp made up 3.6 percent, frozen raw shrimp occupied the remaining 96.3 percent while Vietnam’s total shrimp exports included 31 percent of processed shrimp and 69 percent of frozen raw shrimp.

Shrimp imports into China inched up due to its supply shortage caused by EMS and high shrimp demand for processing. Vietnam has much room to export its shrimp to the market thanks to short distance between two countries.

In the first 9 months of 2013, Vietnam shrimp exports to China totaled US$255.7 million, increasing 42.8 percent year-on-year and accounting for 12.4 percent proportion of Vietnam’s total shrimp sales, nearly equaling to the proportion of Vietnam’s shrimp exports to EU (12.8 percent).