Fisheries in the Mekong Delta overcome difficulties, waiting for opportunities to break through

Last year, Vietnam's seafood exports reached 11 billion USD for the first time. Increasing exports has brought export turnover to mark a new milestone. The Mekong Delta region has contributed greatly to the overall seafood export turnover. However, at present, shrimp and pangasius exports in this region are more difficult than the same period last year.

According to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), in January, pangasius exports continued to decline sharply compared to the same period in 2021. In particular, the value of pangasius exports to the US market in January 2023 decreased by nearly 40% compared to December 2022.

Shrimp exports are forecast to prosper in March

Ca Mau is the leading locality in the country in terms of shrimp exports

Ca Mau is the leading locality in the country in terms of shrimp exports. In the last 3 years, Ca Mau's shrimp exports have always reached more than 1 billion USD. Particularly in 2022, exports reached nearly 1.1 billion USD. The beginning of the year is always the quietest time of the year for shrimp exporters in Ca Mau. The reason comes from the fact that foreign partners often actively import goods around September - November every year to prepare for the holidays, New Year's Eve as well as the first months of the year.

In fact, Ca Mau's shrimp export situation at the beginning of 2023 is more quiet compared to the same period of previous years. The local shrimp export turnover in January was just over $56 million, down more than 18% over the same period. Recently, the demand for goods in the world market in general is still slow due to the economic recession. Inflation in Ca Mau's big shrimp export markets such as the US and EU are quite high, affecting seafood exports. In particular, high-value products such as Ca Mau's shrimp are more affected.

Ca Mau's shrimp exports will still face difficulties until the end of February and start to recover from March. Shrimp exports are difficult because of high inventory and inflation in the world, which affected the European market the most. Raw shrimp is currently abundant, the supply of raw materials is very diverse. By the second quarter of 2023, the export situation will have some breakthrough. 

The price of raw pangasius is on the rise

Since the beginning of the year, the opening of the Chinese market has created favorable conditions for Vietnam's pangasius exporters.

Information from VASEP also shows that, although pangasius exports in 2022 grew strongly, exports in the fourth quarter decreased compared to the same period in 2021 due to the influence of global inflation. Regardless of that trend, pangasius exports still have many prospects for the market this year, especially after the Chinese Zero Covid policy was removed. This move will create more favorable conditions for the export of Vietnamese agricultural, forestry and fishery products to this market, including pangasius, the most popular Vietnamese seafood in the Chinese market.

Although in the first month of 2023, pangasius exports decreased, many pangasius enterprises carrying out new export orders showed optimistic signals on the recovery of orders from markets. Mr. Do Lap Nghiep, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Deputy General Director of NAVICO, said that in the first months of the year, the company's pangasius exports still increased by 20%.

Since the beginning of the year, the opening of the Chinese market has created favorable conditions for Vietnam's pangasius exporters. The price of raw pangasius at the beginning of the year was 28,000 VND/kg, now it has increased to 30,000 - 31,000 VND/kg. Enterprises are focusing on preparing raw material to meet market requirements, expanding export markets and ensuring product quality.

Compiled by Thuy Linh