Ecuador, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Thailand all saw their November shrimp-export totals to the United States drop in September 2021. But India’s total jumped by nearly 8,000 metric tons (MT), according to the latest import data from NOAA Fisheries.
Despite ongoing challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic, including global supply chain and shipping issues, India exported 72.2 million pounds of shrimp (32,738 MT) to the U.S. in September, up from 55.1 million pounds (24,992 MT) in September 2020. The total was down from August 2021, when India shipped 81.4 million pounds, or 36,773 metric tons (MT) to the U.S.
Ecuador sent 30 million pounds (13,602 MT) in September 2021, down from 33.4 million pounds (15,160 MT) compared to September 2020 and 36.4 million pounds (16,496 MT) in August 2021.
Third-place Indonesia exported 25.5 million pounds (11,561 MT) of shrimp to the U.S., down from 31.5 million pounds (14,285 MT) a year prior and from 31.6 million pounds (14,134 MT) in August 2021.
Fourth-place Vietnam sent 17.7 million pounds (8,031 MT) to the U.S. in September 2021, down from 18.9 million pounds (8,575 MT) in September 2020 and 28.4 million pounds (12,895 MT) in August 2021.
Thailand had 6.7 million pounds (3,019 MT) of shrimp exports to the U.S. in September, down from 9 million pounds in September 2020 and from 10 million pounds (4,531 MT) in August 2021.
Mexico’s U.S. shrimp shipments in September 2021 totaled 2.8 million pounds (1,279 MT), down from 5.6 million pounds in September 2020, but up from 1.7 million pounds (764 MT) in August 2021, before its shrimp season began and the U.S. had lifted its embargo on wild-caught Mexican shrimp.
Argentina recorded 2.7 million pounds (1,200 MT) of shrimp shipments to the U.S., a drop from 4.6 million pounds (2,087 MT) in September 2020 and 2.3 million pounds (1,033 MT) in August 2021.
Photo courtesy of Pipipan/Shutterstock
