Seafood exports in 2022: Optimistic with a target of exceeding 9 billion USD

The export value of seafood in the first 2 months of 2022 reached 1.5 billion USD, up 51%; pangasius particularly registers a strong growth rate of over 83% while that of shrimp is over 34%... The Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) also claimed that seafood production and processing has almost recovered to normal as before the pandemic.

Market demand is extremely high, and businesses are inundated with orders. Because of the increase in domestic price of raw materials, farmers, fishermen, and businesses are actively producing and anticipating a prosperous year.

Hung Ca Co., Ltd. claimed that it had four frozen seafood processing plants with a processing capacity of 600 to 1,200 tons of raw fish per day to quickly recover production and sales after the COVID-19 pandemic. The firm now has a raft of orders and is making efforts to delivery on schedule.

From the first month of the year, shrimp exports rose by 43% on the corresponding period in 2021. Among exported shrimp products, the export value of processed black tiger shrimp experienced the most significant surge with 157%. The three largest shrimp import markets of Vietnam, including the US, Japan and the EU, all recorded optimistic growths.

As for Vietnam's largest shrimp import market which is the US, the good growth in this market has allowed Vietnam to maintain its 4th rank among the main shrimp suppliers for the US.

According to VASEP, despite the substantial increase in inflation in the US, shrimp demand is anticipated to surge this year as a result of US's economic stabilization policies. Not only shrimp, the US also promotes import of aquatic products from Vietnam such as: pangasius, especially tuna which increased more than 3 times.

Intensive shrimp farming area in Vietnam currently covers over 740,000 ha; with annual yield of over 900,000 tons/year. In particular, Vietnam's black tiger shrimp output surpassed 250,000 tons, ranking first in the world. Although shrimp area expanded by jusst about 1.5% per year, shrimp production increased sharply by 10%/year.

This factor proves the ongoing progress of the farming process, with a substantially larger output than previously. The prosperous market and sufficient production capacity will help Vietnamese shrimp products continue to affirm their position in other countries.

After 3 years of low prices, the price of raw pangasius has now reached from VND 27,000 - 30,000/kg. Currently, pangasius enterprises in the Mekong Delta are unable to meet orders delivery time.

Along with that, pangasius production in the chain has exceeded 87% and 100% of the farming area has been granted a code to aid in traceabikity, which will be an advantage for pangasius to quickly reach $ 2 billion this year.

According to Ms. To Thi Tuong Lan, Deputy General Secretary of VASEP, the major import markets of Vietnamese pangasius are seeing strong growth and high pricing. Pangasius exports in 2022 are forecasted to increase by 20-25% as compared to 2021.

Not only shrimp or pangasius, many other kinds of seafood including squid, octopus, crab, crab .... all recorded double-digit growth.

According to Mr. Ho Quoc Luc, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Sao Ta Food Joint Stock Company (Fimex VN), the market in 2022 will be largely determined by the COVID-19 pandemic situation.

Compiled by Khanh Linh