HANOI: Vietnam shrimp exports in the third quarter of 2015 reported a growth compared to the two previous quarters. Shrimp exports reached US$840.8 million in Q3, up from $573.9 million in Q1 and $716.2 million in Q2 but still down compared to the same period in 2014.
From July to September, shrimp shipments increased steadily from $ 263.5 million to nearly $305 million. The cumulative figure in the first 9 months of this year hit $2.1 billion, down 27.4 per cent from the same period of 2014.
In Japan, EU, South Korea, the major importing markets, economic downturn and sharp devaluation of their currencies caused weak demand and therefore, import price declined. Meanwhile, currencies of India, Indonesia, Ecuador and China depreciated along with a surge in shrimp supply in South East Asia make prices lower. As a result, shrimp exports in Q3 and Jan-Sep 2015 reduced.
In the first 9 months of 2015, whiteleg shrimp was still the main export item of Vietnam. Exports of whiteleg shrimp decreased 27.5 per cent year on year to $1.2 billion, accounting for 58.2 per cent of Vietnam’s total shrimp exports. Black tiger shrimp exports dropped by 31.7 per cent to $711.4 million, occupying 33.4 per cent of Vietnam’s total shrimp exports.
Frozen raw black tiger shrimp and whiteleg shrimp made up the largest proportion among Vietnam’s total shrimp exports. Processed marine shrimp was exported under form accounted a small percentage.
Until September 2015, the proportion of whiteleg shrimp was equal to the same period of 2014; the proportion of black tiger shrimp downed 2.1 per cent year on year while that of marine shrimp up 2.1 per cent year on year.
Between January and September 2015, Vietnam shrimp exporters made effort to expand their markets. Vietnam shrimp was destined to 92 markets, adding 6 more markets from the same period of 2014.
Top 10 largest markets included the US, Japan, EU, China, South Korea, Canada, Australia, Taiwan, ASEAN and Switzerland, representing 95 percent of total shrimp exports.
Drastic decline was seen in shrimp exports to main markets such as the US, Japan and EU. On the other hand, some single markets witnessed a year-on-year rise. Exports to Malaysia surged 40.4 per cent , exports to the U.K upped 16 per cent , those to Hong Kong and Singapore increased 2.6 per cent and 0.7 per cent year on year, respectively. It is remarkable that demand for warmwater shrimp from the U.K, the largest market of Vietnam shrimp in EU is increasingly high.
Shrimp sales to the US in September 2015 touched $77.6 million, up nearly 29 per cent compared to August 2015 and up 3.5 per cent year on year. Total result in Q3/2015 to the market reached $188.8 million, up 62.3 per cent from Q1/2015 and up 29 per cent from Q2/2015 but down 35.6 per cent year on year.
Shrimp exports to the US in Sep 2015 reported the highest growth compared to all other months so far in the year as US importers built inventory to meet demand for year-end holidays. Final result of the ninth anti-dumping duty administrative reviews on frozen shrimp imported from Vietnam with lower duty rate than preliminary results announced in March 2015 and final result of POR8 can be a factor that helps boost shrimp sales to the market in the last months of the year.
In the first 9 months of 2015, shrimp sales to the US reached $451.5 million, down 45 per cent year on year. Sharp appreciation of US dollar against other currencies encouraged shrimp exporters to boost exporting to the US which caused high pressure on Vietnam shrimp price.
