Shrimp imports to the United States rose sharply year-on-year in February, revealing the supply chain was not affected by the initial phases of lockdowns and trading limitations resulting from the global spread of the coronavirus.
The U.S. imported 113.5 million pounds, or 51,473 metric tons (MT), of shrimp in February 2020, up more than 20 percent from 84.5 million pounds (42,871 MT) in February 2019.
India accounted for 40 percent of the total, exporting 45.7 million pounds (37,619 MT), up from 35.4 million pounds (16,053 MT) in February 2019.
Indonesia followed with 24 million pounds (37, 619 MT) of shrimp exported to the U.S., accounting for 21 percent of the total. That total was up 27.4 percent from its 18.9 million pounds (8,563 MT) of shrimp shipments to the U.S. in February 2019.
Ecuador was third with 24.5 million pounds (11,117 MT) of shrimp sent to the U.S., up more than 43 percent from 13.2 million pounds (5,975 MT) shipped stateside in February 2019. Ecuador accounted for nearly 17 percent of all shrimp imported into the U.S. in February, and India, Indonesia, and Ecuador together account for 77.5 percent of all shrimp imported by the U.S. thus far in 2020.
In fourth place on the list of U.S. shrimp imports by country is Vietnam, which exported 6.8 million pounds of shrimp (3,069 MT) in February 2020, up from 5.5 million pounds (2,505 MT) in February 2019.
In fifth was Thailand, which sent 20 percent less shrimp to the U.S. year-over-year. It exported 3.8 million pounds (1,707 MT), down from 5.5 million pounds (2,136 MT) in February 2019.
Mexico, in sixth, raised its shrimp exports to the U.S. to 4.9 million pounds (2,229 MT), up from 4.4 million pounds (2,007 MT) year-over-year.
China, seventh place on the list, dropped its exports to 2.5 million pounds (1,119 MT), down from 4.7 million pounds (2,143 MT) in February 2019.
Argentina, Peru, and Venezuela rounded out the top 10 list.
Photo courtesy of PCbang/Shutterstock
