Vietnamese pangasius exporters are getting higher prices for frozen fillets shipped to the United States, after prices dipped over the summer.
In August 2022, frozen pangasius fillets shipped from Vietnam to the U.S. brought in an average of USD 5.00 (EUR 5.06) per kilogram, up from USD 4.90 (EUR 4.96) per kilogram in July and from USD 4.40 (EUR 4.45) per kilogram in June, according to Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP).
Frozen fillets accounted for 87 percent of Vietnam’s total U.S. pangasius sales year-to-date, VASEP said. Through August, Vietnam had exported 94,000 metric tons (MT) of pangasius fillets to the U.S. in 2022, with monthly export volumes ranging between 13,500 MT and 16,000 MT between March and May. But shipments slowed in June and hit their lowest total of the year in July before recovering slightly to about 6,700 MT in August.
Rising stockpiles of pangasius along with congestions at U.S. ports have discouraged U.S. buyers from purchasing more pangasius, though it is likely that the U.S. pangasius imports will rebound in the coming months to serve higher holiday demand, according to VASEP.
Vietnam shipped USD 33 million (EUR 33.4 million) worth of pangasius to the U.S. in August, up 45 percent year-over-year. However, VASEP said the increase was primarily due to Vietnam’s low August 2021 export total due to lockdowns implemented that month to curb a nationwide COVID-19 outbreak.
Vietnam’s July earnings from its U.S. pangasius sales totaled USD 32 million (EUR 32.4 million). Between January and August 2022, sales of pangasius from Vietnam to the U.S. have jumped 87 percent year-on-year to reach USD 421 million (EUR 426 million) in value. Vietnam’s total global pangasius exports have soared 81 percent year-on-year over the same time period, reaching USD 1.8 billion (EUR 1.82 billion) in value.
Photo courtesy of Nina Drozdowa/Shutterstock
