(vasep.com.vn) In the second quarter of 2013, Vietnam seafood exports erased the 5 percent decline of the previous quarter and started to recover thanks to higher global demand for seafood and increasing supply of raw material.
Seafood exports in QII/2013 reached US$1.638 billion, up 4.5 percent over the same period of 2012. In the first half of 2013, seafood shipment reached nearly US$2.9 billion, representing a slight growth of 0.3 percent from that of the same time of 2012.
In Jul 2013, seafood exports was expected to rise slightly by 1 percent, continuing Jun’s growth of 2.1 percent in which shrimp exports posted the highest growth of 26 percent. Total seafood exports in the first 7 months of 2013 were estimated to touch US$3.44 billion, up 0.4 percent from that of the same time of 2012.
Vietnam shrimp exports in 2013 are likely to surge due to shortage in global supply of raw shrimp caused by EMS. The shrimp output of main producers such as Thailand, China were badly hit by the disease. This resulted in the increase in shrimp price in the world market. Shrimp farming in Vietnam was improved. Farmers shifted to stock shrimp seed with low density to control the diseases. Shrimp exports in the first 7 months of 2013 were estimated to achieve US$1.35 billion, up 11.5 percent from that of Jan-Jul 2012.
Pangasius exports reported a slight rally of 7.7 percent in the second quarter of 2013 but exports in H1 of 2013 recorded a reduction of 0.5 percent compared to the same time of 2012. An upbeat expectation on pangasius exports can’t be given when demand from European importers is still low; farmers and enterprises still lack of capital to remain their production. Fish exports in Jul 2013 were slated to reach US$124 million, down 9.5 percent and the figure in Jan-Jul 2013 was estimated to reach US$974 million, down 1.7 percent compared to the same period of 2012.
Exports of tuna and other marine products were on downward trend. This was attributable that the supply of raw material was instable, the quality of raw tuna was not ensured to export, the global inventories of raw material were high after sharp increase in imports in 2011 and 2012. Besides, low consumer demand and strict regulations on food safety applied by importers were also reasons for the decline in exports of the items from Vietnam. This year, tuna and marine product enterprises are facing shortage of capital, high input costs and difficulties in consumer markets. Thus, exports of the items find it hard to recover.