Viet Nam's seafood exports in the first 7 months of 2021 reached nearly 5 billion USD

Shrimp exports grow steadily

Vietnam's shrimp exports in July kept a stable increase of 13% over the same period to US$ 441 million, of which both black tiger shrimp and vannamei increased (19% and 14% respectively) over the same period. However, lobster exports decreased by 45%, mainly due to difficult exports in 2020 because of the Covid epidemic, farmers reduced area, so the output decreased, not enough to meet the demand from China. Although still positive growth, but compared to recent months, the increase in shrimp exports to markets has been much lower.

By the end of July 2021, the country's shrimp exports reached $2.1 billion, up 14% and shrimp accounted for 44% of Vietnam's total seafood export value. In which, whiteleg shrimp exports accounted for the majority (81%) with 1.7 billion USD, up 23%, black tiger shrimp accounted for 15% with 325 million USD, down 1% over the same period last year. Shrimp exports to the US, Japan and EU are all recovering, in which exports to the US increased the most by 34%, to the EU increased by 25%, to Japan slightly recovered 6%. However, exports to China dropped by nearly 19%, to South Korea only increased slightly by 2%. In addition, thanks to preferential tariffs under FTAs, exports to some markets still have high growth rates, such as Australia up 74%, Russia up 87%.

Exports of pangasius, tuna and cephalopods have slowed down since July

After increasing by 28% in June, Vietnamese pangasius exports in July 2021 only increased slightly by 2% to reach 226 million USD and the accumulated results in 7 months reached 907 million USD, up 15% over the same period last year, also reflects the declining trend of growth in July. In July, pangasius exports to the US, EU, Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, and Russia still increased by 24 - 208% over the same period, but exports to China decreased. 26%, the UK and Thailand fell 40% and 22% respectively. As of the end of July, China was still the largest pangasius import market, accounting for 26%, but the export value to this country decreased by 5%, the US accounted for 22% of Vietnam's pangasius exports with an increase of 22% compared to the same period last year.

Vietnam tuna exports in July 2021 were only 1.7% higher than the same period last year reaching 65 million USD. However, thanks to high growth in the first 6 months, tuna exports as of the end of July still increased by 18% to US$420 million. The US, Italy, Israel, Canada, and Japan are the 5 largest single markets importing Vietnamese tuna. By the end of July, tuna exports to these markets all exceeded the same period last year, of which to the US increased by 18% and accounted for 44% of Vietnam's tuna export value, exports to Italy increased by 90%, to Canada increased by 50%, to Israel increased by 39%, to Japan increased by 1.2%. However, in July alone, exports to these markets slowed down, most evident in Canada with a decrease of 45%, Italy down 24%, Japan slightly up 1.7%, the US increased slightly by 6% , only Israel maintained a high increase of 84%.

For mollusk products, only the export of bivalve molluscs (clams, oysters, scallops) maintained stable growth in July, up 31% and in the first 7 months of the year up 40% to reach $84 million. Meanwhile, octopus exports decreased slightly by 1% in July, however, exports in the first 7 months of the year were still 18% higher than the same period last year, reaching 154 million USD. Squid and cuttlefish exports in the first 7 months of the year reached 164 million USD, up slightly by 2.5% over the same period, in July alone increased only 1.2%.

In July, cephalopod exports to Japan, Thailand and China decreased by 13%, 24% and 25% respectively over the same period. Meanwhile, exports to the largest market - Korea were only slightly more than 1.5%, exports to the EU increased by 64%; Exports to the US, Taiwan, and Russia increased by 15%, 91% and 28%, respectively. Accumulated in the first 7 months of the year, cephalopod mollusk exports to the 3 largest markets include Korea, up 7%, reaching 131 million USD, accounting for 41%, Japan reaching 63 million USD, down 8.6% and accounting for 20%, EU reached 34 million USD, up 53% and accounting for 11%. Exports to China decreased by 12% to 19.5 million USD.

Exports of swimming crabs and some types of Vietnamese sea fish increased sharply

In July 2021, the total export of products from other fish (except tuna and pangasius) was equivalent to the same period last year. In which, exports of fish cakes and surimi increased by 37%, mackerel by 51%, seabass by 24%, yellowstripe scad by 13%. In the first 7 months of the year, the export of other fish products reached US$991 million, up 11%, of which, fish cakes and surimi alone accounted for 23% with US$230 million, up 38%, mackerel exports up 28%, anchovies increased 17% to $71 million and $64 million, respectively. Some fish species that are imported raw materials for processing, re-export processing, all experienced a decrease in turnover: salmon down 4%, saba down 6%, pollock down 3%, cod down 12% ...

For other crustacean products except shrimp, while crab exports decreased by 30%, exports of swimming crabs increased sharply by 114% in July. Accumulated in the first 7 months of 2021, exports of crabs and other crustaceans reached 88 million USD, up 1.3%, of which crab exports decreased by 29% to $49 million, swimming crab exports increased by 51% to $39 million. Vietnam mainly exports live crabs to China, Hong Kong and processing snow crabs for export to Japan. Meanwhile, export swimming crab products are mainly pasteurized canned crabs, processed and exported to the US, Japan and European markets. In addition, this year Vietnam also exported many frozen steamed swimming crabs to Cambodia and live swimming crabs to Singapore.