Newly-published data from the General Statistics Office is showing Vietnam will produce an estimated an 697,800 metric tons (MT) of seafood in April, a drop of 3 percent year-on-year, as the COVID-19 outbreak hits the country’s seafood sector.
Vietnam’s total output from aquaculture in the month was estimated at 358,300 MT, down 4 percent year-on-year, comprising 254,900 MT of fish, down 6 percent, and 62,900 MT of shrimp, up by 0.5 percent.
The country produced an estimated 102,100 MT of pangasius in the month, down 9 percent year-on-year, with production mainly from Dong Thap Province (33,800 MT, no change from last year), An Giang (32,300 MT, 6.1 percent lower year-on-year) and Can Tho (14,900 MT, down 4.5 percent).
Pangasius farmers reported low prices resulting in losses. A downturn in exports to their main markets, including the United States, China, and the European Union, have discouraged processors from purchasing more material in order to reduce storage costs, GSO reported.
The farmed shrimp sector also faced headwinds as local farmers are somewhat hesitant to massively stock ponds due to prolonged saltwater intrusion in Mekong Delta and the volatile material prices in the early months of this year, GSO said.
Vietnam produced an estimated 20,600 MT of giant tiger shrimp in April, down 8.5 percent year-on-year, while the output of whiteleg shrimp rose 2.4 percent to 38,900 MT in the month.
While low fuel prices and abundant stocks resulted in productive fishing in April, fishermen became increasingly reluctant to fish due to decreasing demand for their products, according to the GSO. Vietnam’s wild-catch fisheries output went down by 1.9 percent year-on-year to an estimated 339,500 MT in April, including 325,000 MT of fish, down 2 percent year-on-year. The price of tuna decreased by about VND 15 million (USD 637, EUR 588) per ton compared to the rate before the virus crisis, the GSO reported.
Through April, Vietnam produced an estimated 2.2 million MT of seafood, up 0.3 percent from 2019, comprising 1.02 million MT from farming, down 0.1 percent, and 1.18 million MT of wild-caught output, up 0.8 percent.
Photo courtesy of Vietnam Stock Images
