Consumers in
Current imports for Agama, a $200 million revenue importer, processor and distributor of shrimp, are currently practically nothing, Igor Salagaev, marketing manager at the firm, told Undercurrent News.
“Demand is very slow. Normally we import around 3,000 tons per month raw material, but at the moment, nothing,” he said.
Looking at yearly import statistics for shrimp, of which cooked, head-on, shell-on is the main product for the Russian market, it is clear that demand is dwindling. The volume of shrimp imported in 2012 was 30,245 metric tons – 21% lower than just two years previously.
So far for 2013 Agama has imported 10,843t, and Salagaev forecasts the year total will reach 26,500t – another 12% drop year-on-year.
“The big picture is that the coldwater shrimp market is going down,” he said. “The market will lose 10%, 15% of imports.”
“Just look at the monthly figures: the standard monthly imports is around 2,500 – 3,000 mt. In April- May it was about 1,000-1,400t. We have not been importing for the past months as well.”
There are two reasons for this drop in imports, and the first is the price for the importer.
Several of the largest Russian firms have traditionally focused on importing small sizes shrimp, 180+ pieces per kg, or 200+, said Salagaev, whose own firm Agama has been paying more attention to larger shrimp.
The prices for these shrimp have been increasing for several years now, and has stabilized at a level much higher than it used to be.
“People only just started to care about quality, last year maybe. Now they are beginning to buy good quality shrimp” “Russian importers are not interested. They were buying cheap, and selling on as a cheap product,” he said. “Now if they buy it they have to sell it at a worse margin.”
He also pointed out that the ruble has lost 10% against the euro and the dollar, which makes it even less worthwhile purchasing expensive products to sell cheaply.
The second reason for the drop in imports is that Russian consumers are buying less prawns at better levels of quality.
The MSC certification of Greenland’s shrimp fishery means little to
“People only just started to care about quality, last year maybe. Now they are beginning to buy good quality shrimp.”
Once again he has the statistics to back this: last year Agama’s sales of own-brand, larger sized shrimp was around 195t per month. This year sales have been 260t per month.
Around three months ago the firm, which is in the process of setting up a chain of stores throughout
“Another item is the 50/70, which is popular in
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The Quang Tri Department of Agriculture and Environment has instructed localities to base their stocking schedules on actual conditions in each farming area, while developing plans, allocating resources, and implementing synchronized measures for disease prevention and disaster risk management in aquaculture production.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In the first two months of 2026, Vietnam’s exports of fish cakes and surimi exceeded USD 45 million, up 7% compared to the same period in 2025, indicating a positive outlook for this product segment amid recovering demand in many markets.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) During the week from April 4th to 10th, 2026, Quang Ngai province intensified its monitoring and law enforcement activities with the determination to eliminate illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing practices.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Thanh Hoa’s shrimp sector is undergoing a strong transformation by accelerating the adoption of high technology, helping to improve productivity, increase profits, and meet market demands. The province currently has about 4,100 hectares of shrimp farming, with output continuing to rise despite stable farming area, mainly due to the shift from traditional methods to intensive and super-intensive farming.
(vasep.com.vn) Amid ongoing volatility in global seafood trade, Vietnam’s crab exports have made a fairly positive start to 2026. According to Vietnam Customs statistics, export turnover in the first two months of 2026 reached nearly USD 55 million, up 24% compared to the same period in 2025 and more than 2.2 times higher than in the same period of 2024. This indicates that crab exports are entering 2026 with stronger growth momentum, particularly in Asian markets.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Da Nang City has fully implemented all recommendations from the European Commission (EC) regarding the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, creating an important foundation for the removal of the “yellow card” in the near future.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In Hoa Vang district (Da Nang City), red tilapia farming is demonstrating clear economic efficiency, becoming a promising livelihood that helps many households increase their income. A notable example is the model of Mr. Huynh Ngoc Nam, who operates two red tilapia ponds covering more than 4 hectares, generating stable annual income.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) In Gia Vien district, tilapia farming—particularly the “duong nghiep” strain—is expanding rapidly and gradually becoming an efficient production model for local farmers. Hatcheries in the area are supplying high-quality, uniform, and disease-free fingerlings, meeting the growing demand for commercial farming.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On the afternoon of March 19, Vice Chairman of the Ca Mau Provincial People’s Committee, Le Van Su, chaired a meeting to address bottlenecks and propose solutions to expand the super-intensive whiteleg shrimp farming model using low water exchange and high biosecurity standards (RAS-IMTA).
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On March 10, 2026, the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee issued Decision No. 1377/QD-UBND approving the Aquatic Animal Disease Prevention and Control Plan for the 2026–2030 period. The decision takes effect from the date of signing and replaces previous plans for the 2021–2030 period that had been issued prior to the administrative merger in Ba Ria – Vung Tau, Binh Duong, and Ho Chi Minh City.
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