2012: Cephalopod imports into the U.S. up but bivalve mollusk down

The U.S. was an important market of Vietnam mollusk. Between Jan and Sep 2012, cephalopod exports from Vietnam to the U.S. hit US$7.21 million and bivalve mollusk shipment reached US$4.66 million.

According to statistics of U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), in the first 8 months of 2012, mollusk only accounted for 8 percent in volume and 6 percent in value of the U.S.’s total seafood imports while shrimp, tuna, salmon, marine finfish and freshwater finfish make up a higher proportion.

As of August 2012, the U.S. purchased 130,300 MT mollusk in all varieties from 108 origins in the world, worth by US$662.8 million, down 2 percent both in volume and value compared to the same period of last year.

China was the leading mollusk supplier for the U.S. with the proportion of 33 percent in volume and 28 percent in value. Through August 2012, the U.S. imported 43,400 MT from China, valued at US$188 million, down 13 percent in volume and 19 percent in value compared to the corresponding period of last year. The average import price was US$4.34 per kilogram, down 6.1 percent. Cockle, scallop and squid made up the highest proportion out of Chinese mollusk exported to the U.S. However, this year, exports of cockle and scallop reduced 67 percent in both volume and value, led to a decline in total mollusk exports.

Mexico ranked the 8^th position among mollusk exporters to the U.S. with the highest average export price of US$6.6 per kilogram. In 2012, mollusk export volume from Mexico to the U.S. was up 3 percent but export value sank by 14 percent because exports of cockle and scallop reduced over 90 percent from that of the same time of 2011.

Vietnam ranked the 16^th position in the list of mollusk suppliers for the U.S., with the market share of 1.9 percent in volume and 1.7 percent in value. Average import price of mollusk from Vietnam touched US$4.62 per kilogram, 25.7 percent higher than that of China. Shipment of Loligo squid, frozen octopus and cuttlefish to the U.S. in Jan – Sep 2012 marked a positive growth of 65 percent, 232 percent, 240 percent respectively from those of the same time last year. The average export price of Loligo squid was US$6.6 per kilogram, up nearly 13 percent, octopus with US$4.28 per kilogram, up modestly over the same time of 2011 (US$4.23).

In 2011, Vietnam’s exports of cockle, scallop occupied the highest value in total mollusk export to the U.S., however, in this year, Vietnam hardly exported these items. It was attributable to U.S.’s low demand for cockle, scallop and shortage of raw material in Vietnam.

According to USDA, this year, cephalopod imports into the U.S. marked a positive growth despite modest import volume in a comparison with other seafood products while imports of  bivalve mollusk (cockle, scallop) reduced remarkably from main suppliers (China, Thailand, Mexico and Vietnam).