Vietnam’s pangasius exporters saw their sales decline last year as demand fell sharply due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP).
The country shipped pangasius products worth USD 1.49 billion (EUR 1.23 billion) in 2020, down 25.5 percent from 2019.
Vietnam’s pangasius sales to most of its major markets tumbled last year, including a drop of 22.3 percent in sales to China (including Hong Kong) on total sales worth USD 514.8 million (EUR 425 million); a 14.4 percent drop in sales to the U.S.A.; a 31.1 percent reduction in sales to the European Union; and a 31.3 percent plunge in sales to other ASEAN nations.
The United Kingdom, however, was a major exception to the trend, as Vietnam’s pangasius to the U.K. grew 30.1 percent year-on-year in 2020. VASEP said the U.K.-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (UKVFTA) played a major role in the growth, and that Vietnam’s seafood exporters can expect even higher demand from the U.K. moving forward.
In 2020, Vietnam produced 1.56 million metric tons (MT) of pangasius, an increase of 2.6 percent year-on-year. The fish was raised on 5,700 hectares in southern Vietnam.
There were 340 pangasius exporters in Vietnam last year, shipping their cargoes to 136 markets globally, VASEP said.
Vinh Hoan, the country’s top pangasius exporter, said earlier this month its sales value of pangasius dropped in all markets in December, largely due to shipping troubles and the impacts of the pandemic. The company exported pangasius and other products worth VND 542 billion (USD 23.5 million, EUR 19.4 million) in the month, a drop-off of 33 percent year-on-year.
According to VASEP, the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the pangasius industry not only in Vietnam but also in other producing countries such as China, India, Indonesia, and Bangladesh.
Photo courtesy of VASEP
