September marked the third straight month in which shrimp imports into the United States increased year-over-year, showing the rebound of demand and a stabilization of the market following a lull in buying in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The U.S. imported 165.2 million pounds, or 74,928 metric tons (MT) of shrimp in September, up from 14.1 million pounds (63,742 MT) in September 2019. In August, the U.S. imported 181.3 million pounds (82,233 MT) of shrimp, up 17.2 percent year-over-year; in July, and the U.S. imported 164.5 million pounds (68,130 MT) of shrimp, up 12.9 percent over July 2019.
From January through March 2020, U.S. shrimp imports trended ahead of 2019 totals. But in April, May, and June, import totals were down and 5.9 percent, 29.4 percent, and 2.9 percent, respectively, compared to April, May, and June 2019.
Overall annual imports in 2020 currently stand at 1.18 billion pounds, or 533,876 MT, compared to 1.09 billion pounds (484,826 MT) for the period stretching from January through September 2019.
India remained the top U.S. supplier in September, though its monthly total for September was down compared to September 2019. The South Asian country supplied 55.1 million pounds (24,994 MT) of shrimp to the U.S. in the month, down 9.7 percent year-over-year.
Making up the difference were Ecuador and Indonesia. Ecuador exported 33.4 million pounds (15,160 MT) of shrimp in September 2020, up 122.9 percent from its total of 15 million pounds (6,801 MT) in September 2019. Indonesia exported 31.5 million pounds (14,280 MT) of shrimp in September 2020, up 34.6 percent from its September 2019 total.
Vietnam, Thailand, Mexico, and Argentina were the other major suppliers of shrimp to the U.S. in September, and each increased their year-over-year total exports.
Vietnam sent 19 million pounds (8,620 MT) in September 2020, up 21.9 percent; Thailand shipped 9 million pounds (4,080) in the month, up 10.5 percent; Mexico exported 5.5 million pounds (2,522 MT), an increase of 32 percent; and Argentina sent 4.6 million pounds (2,087 MT), upping its year-over-year total by 83.4 percent.
The only major supplier to lose a significant chunk of market share was China, which exported just 1.5 million pounds (672 MT) in September, down 63.8 percent year-over-year. Thus far in 2020, China has shipped less shrimp to the United States than Argentina and just lightly more than Peru.
Photo courtesy of Visarut Sankham/Shutterstock
