From 2012, Japan - the 4th largest importer of cephalopod in the world, tended to reduce imports. The import volume of cephalopod fell from 104,000 MT in 2012 to 59,000 MT in 2017, and this trend is likely to continue this year.
The reason is that the global octopus production has reduced, which pushed the price up. In addition, the domestic supply went down, so the supply to this market is limited.
Processed squid (HS code 160554) was the most imported item into Japan in 2017 with the value of US$274.3 million; followed by processed octopus with US$80.3 million and frozen squid (HS code 030749) with a US$1.4 million and frozen octopus (HS code 030759) with US$82,000.
Among cephalopod products imported into Japan; the import value of processed squid (HS code 160554) sharply increased by 619%. However, that of frozen squid (HS 030749) and frozen octopus (HS 030759) fell remarkably by 99% and 100% respectively from 2016.
Only 12 countries exported cephalopod to Japan in 2017, while the figure in 2016 was 17. According to the statistics from the International Trade Center (ITC), in 2017, China, Vietnam, Thailand, Peru, South Korea, Philippines, Indonesia, Spain, India, Chile, Myanmar and Malaysia were 12 countries supplying cephalopod to this market.
In 2017, shipments of cephalopod from most of countries to Japan decreased compared to 2016. Only China, Peru, South Korea and Spain posted the positive growth of 62%, 896%, 2,757% and 66%, respectively in the export value to this market over 2016.
The 4 major suppliers to Japan included China, Vietnam, Thailand and Peru.
In terms of the value, Vietnam ranked the second largest exporter of cephalopod to Japan with the proportion of 12.3%, behind China.
On the Japanese market; Vietnam cephalopod has competitive prices compared to Thailand but higher than that of China and Peru. In 2017, the average import price of cephalopod from Vietnam into Japan quoted at US$7/kg; that from China was US5.8 USD / kg; that from Thailand was US$14/kg; and that from Peru was US$4/kg.
Thanks to higher prices of cephalopod in 2017, the export value of Vietnam cephalopod to this market increased compared to 2016. According to the statistics from Vietnam Customs, Vietnam’s cephalopod exports to Japan in 2017 valued at US$148.7 million, up 35.6%. Japan ranked the second in top cephalopod buyers of Vietnam, accounting for 24%. Vietnam’s cephalopod exports to Japan in January 2018 rose by 23% to see US$12.8 million.
Currently, Vietnam mainly exported live/fresh/frozen squid to the market, accounting for 52% of total export value; followed by processed octopus with 21%; live/fresh/frozen/dried octopus with 19%; and the rest was other processed squid.
In the coming time, Vietnam’s cephalopod exports to Japan projected to witness the good growth thanks to the recovery in the Japanese economy, a rise in the yen and a drop in Japan’s cephalopod production in 2017.
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