Imports of shrimp into the United States increased in October 2020 in advance of the holiday season.
According to the latest data from NOAA, the U.S. imported 173.2 million pounds, or 78,567 metric tons (MT) of shrimp in October, up from 164 million pounds (74,407 MT) in October 2019, and 165.2 million pounds (74,928 MT) of shrimp in September 2020.
It is the fourth straight month the U.S. has beaten its year-over-year totals from 2019.
Most of the top shrimp-exporting countries to the United States increased their monthly totals from September, though India, Thailand, Mexico, and China all recorded lower year-over-year totals for October.
India shipped 66.5 million pounds (30,181 MT) of shrimp in October, up from 55.1 million pounds (24,994 MT) in September but down from 73.9 million pounds (33,506 MT) in October 2019.
Mexico sold 10.1 million pounds (4,577 MT) of shrimp to U.S. buyers in October 2020, up significantly from the 5.5 million pounds (2,522 MT) it sold in September but down from the 11.7 million pounds (5,316 MT) it sent in October 2019.
Thailand sent 9.3 million pounds (4,211 MT) of shrimp last month, up from 9 million pounds (4,080 MT) in September 2020 but a reduction from 11.2 million pounds (5,088 MT) it exported to the U.S. in September 2019.
And China continued its conversion away from shrimp production for export, as it sent 1.9 million pounds (872 MT) in October, higher than the 1.5 million pounds (672 MT) it shipped in September but lower than the 2.9 million pounds (1,300 MT) it brought to the U.S. in October 2019.
On the opposite side of the trend, Ecuador nearly doubled its shrimp exports to the U.S. from a year prior, moving from 15.1 million pounds (6,867 MT) in October 2019 to 27.6 million pounds (12,534 MT) last month. The South American shrimp powerhouse has struggled with access to its main market of China as customs authorities there have clamped down on imports of imported seafood. Ecuador exported 33.4 million pounds (15,160 MT) of shrimp to the U.S. in September 2020, up 122.9 percent from its total of 15 million pounds (6,801 MT) in September 2019.
Indonesia, Vietnam, and Argentina also increased their year-over-year total shrimp exports to the U.S. Indonesia sent 32.1 million pounds (14,570 MT) in October, up from 28 million pounds (12,678 MT) in October 2019 and from the 31.5 million pounds (14,280 MT) it exported in September 2020.
Vietnam sent 16.7 million pounds (7,555 MT) of shrimp last month, up from 13 million pounds it sold to U.S. buyers in October 2019, but down from the 19 million pounds (8,620 MT) in September 2020.
Argentina, which primarily exports Argentine red shrimp, shipped 3.7 million pounds (1,697 MT) to the U.S. in October 2020, up from 2.8 million pounds (1,272 MT) a year prior but down from 4.6 million pounds (2,087 MT) in September.
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