The United States imported nearly 1.8 billion pounds of shrimp in 2021, according to year-end totals published recently by NOAA.
The 1,787,288,000-pound total, or 893,644 metric tons (MT), surpassed the previous annual high for the U.S. of 1.49 billion pounds (745,675 MT), set in 2020, which itself was up from the nearly 1.4 billion pounds (698,358 MT) the U.S. imported in 2019.
In December 2021, the U.S. imported 176.1 million pounds (88,042 MT), up from 132.5 million pounds (66,246 MT) in December 2020.
India, Ecuador, and Indonesia were the top three shrimp suppliers to the U.S. in the month and in the full-year 2021, and all set records for their annual exports to the U.S.
India topped the tables in U.S. shrimp exports for the ninth consecutive year. India sent 62.5 million pounds (31,268 MT) of shrimp to the U.S. in December 2021, up from 50.8 million pounds (25,384 MT) in December 2020. Its 2021 total reached 680.8 million pounds, up from 543.5 million pounds (271,728 MT) in 2020 and its previous record of 622.8 million pounds (282,584 metric tons) in 2019.
Ecuador shipped 37.9 million pounds (18,957 MT) of shrimp to the U.S. in December 2021, up from 20.2 million pounds (10,090 MT) in December 2020. The 367.7 million pounds (183,839 MT) of shrimp it exported to the U.S. in 2021 was up from 251.6 million pounds (125,818 MT) in 2020 and 182.8 million pounds (82,955 MT) in 2019.
Indonesia sent 33.9 million pounds (16,947 MT) of shrimp to the U.S. in December 2021, a year-over-year increase from the 26.2 million pounds (13,073 MT). It exported 349.2 million pounds (174,583 MT) to the U.S. for the full-year 2021, above its previous record-high of 321.4 million pounds (160,714 MT) set in 2020, and the 293.6 million pounds (133,163 MT) it delivered to the U.S. in 2019.
Vietnam also recorded a surge in U.S. shrimp exports in 2021, hitting 174.2 million pounds (87,111 MT), including 19.9 million pounds (9,943 MT) in December. It shipped 144.3 million pounds (65,459 MT) to the U.S. in 2020 and 123.1 million pounds (55,869 MT) in 2019.
Thailand, Mexico, Argentina, China, and Peru ranked fifth through ninth in total U.S. shrimp exports, but all recorded decreases between their 2020 and 2021 figures.
Thailand exported 78 million pounds (38,982 MT) of shrimp to the U.S. in 2021, down from 81 million pounds (40,490 MT) in 2020 and 84.5 million pounds (42,264 MT) in 2019. Mexico shipped 40.9 million pounds (20,459 MT) to the U.S. in 2021, down from 41.3 million pounds (25,654 MT) in 2020 and 59.1 million pounds (29,546 MT) in 2019. Argentina’s 2021 total was 33.6 million pounds, a decline from 34.7 million pounds (17,340 MT) in 2020, but up from 26.3 million pounds (13,155 MT) in 2019. China continued its steep decline as a shrimp provider to the U.S. hitting 15.7 million pounds (7,850 MT) in 2021, down from 21.7 million pounds (10,872 MT) in 2020 and 40.2 million pounds (20,084 MT) in 2019. Peru’s total also declined to 11 million pounds (5,515 MT), from 14.7 million pounds (7,340 MT) in 2020 and 14.71 million pounds (7,357) MT in 2019.
Bangladesh was ranked tenth in 2021 with 5.1 million pounds (2,561 MT) in exports to the U.S., up from 3.5 million pounds (1,734 MT) in 2020 and 2.2 million pounds (1,094 MT) in 2019.
Photo courtesy of Archer Dec24/Shutterstock
