Vietnam cephalopod exports to Japan downed 8.3%

In 2014, cephalopod exports to Japan, accounted for 23.2% of total exports from Vietnam, downed 8.3% year on year. As the market became more demanding, exports declined by 3% to 20% in 8 months in the year and most of these months were in Q1 and QIII/2014.

Statistics from the ITC revealed that Vietnam is now the fourth largest cephalopod suppliers to Japan after China, Morocco and Mauritania. It is noted that these 3 countries are world’s giants with strong competitiveness in prices. China accounted for 31.4% of total imports of Japan while Morocco and Mauritani also made up 34.5%. In 2014, China was the only exporting country in the top 10 that witnessed increase in cephalopod imports by Japan with the growth of 3%.

Japanese  companies reduced orders as domestic consumption fell. Import demand for marine fish fell. In particular, fish coded HS 0303) maintained the largest proportion in import structure with more than 30%; followed by fish coded HS 0304, crustaceans including shrimp coded HS 0306 and mollusks coded HS 0307.

Total cephalopod import value of Japan fell by 15% and volume decreased by 23%.

In the last two years, Japan has decreased imports of brined cephalopod while other processed cephalopod increased. In 2012 and 2013, Japan cephalopod imports reached records, nevertheless, in 2014, imports of octopus (HS 030 759) downed by 32% while imports of squid, frozen, dried, salted or in brine (HS 030 749) downed 24%. On the other hand, processed cephalopod (HS 160554-55) increased by 1-3% year on year.