Vietnam shrimp exports up 8.6 percent

Exports to key buyers like Japan (+6.6 percent), the U.S. (+22.4 percent) and China (+33.7 percent) registered upbeat data. Global shrimp supply this year is lower compared with that of 2012 due mainly to disease outbreaks and following losses registered above all on farmed shrimp produced in Thailand and other big producing countries, resulting in rise in the world shrimp price in the second half of 2013. Vietnam shrimp exports in 2013, therefore, are slated to reach US$2.4 billion, up 9 percent compared to 2012.

Japan is the largest importer of Vietnam shrimp, followed by the U.S., China surpassed EU becoming the third largest importer with an import proportion ranging from 11.4 percent in 2012 to 13.3 percent in the first 6 months of 2013.

Whiteleg shrimp farming area was expanded more than black tiger shrimp farming area, resulting in a significant change in the structure of exported shrimp in Jan-Jun 2013. Whiteleg shrimp accounted for 41.3 percent of total shrimp export value while black tiger shrimp reached the 50.8 percent.

Thailand’s shrimp production, which counts for a large amount of global shrimp supply, was hit by outbreaks caused essentially by the Early Mortality Syndrome (EMS). Thai Frozen Foods Association (TFFA) speculated that Thailand’s shrimp production this year could shrink by 50 percent compared to 550,000 MT of the past year.

Vietnam’s shrimp export value in Jan-Jun 2013 rose partly thanks to upward trend of shrimp price in the U.S, Japan and EU.

On the U.S. market, in Jan-Jun 2013, the price of black tiger shrimp increased by US$2.26 per kilogram to US$7.53 per pound from US$6.40 per pound. The price of whiteleg shrimp also rose by US$2.86 per kilogram to US$5.53 per pound from US$4.10 per pound.

On Japanese market, HLSO black tiger shrimp count 16/20, originated from India, was quoted at US$15.95 per kilogram from US$11.03 per kilogram; black tiger shrimp from Indonesia was up US$3 per kilogram; whiteleg shrimp from Indonesia also saw a considerable increase in its price in Jan-Jun 2013. HLSO shrimp count 16/20 was up US$1.8 per kilogram from US$11.32 per kilogram to US$13.1 per kilogram.

On EU market, in the first 6 months of this year, HOSO whiteleg shrimp count 31/40 was quoted at US$10.05 per kilogram from US$9.41 per kilogram. The price of HLSO black tiger shrimp count 16/20 increased by 16 percent to US$10 per kilogram from US$8.60 per kilogram.

The recovery in raw shrimp price encouraged farmers to maintain their farms. This contributed to compensate the shortage of domestic raw shrimp.

Diseases, especially EMS, are kept under control in Vietnam. According to statistics of Directorate of Fisheries, in the first 6 months of 2013, 23,938 hectares were hit by disease, showing a reduction of 35 percent over the same period of 2012.