Vietnam produced an estimated 733,800 metric tons (MT) of seafood in October, up 5.4 percent year-on-year, with shrimp and pangasius production both increasing in the month, according to latest data from the country’s General Statistics Office.
Of that total, the output from aquaculture in the month was estimated at 427,400 MT, up 6.7 percent year-on-year, comprising 291,000 MT of fish, up 5.5 percent, and 95,700 MT of shrimp, up 11.1 percent.
Exports of pangasius to major markets including the United States have faced difficulties, resulting in lower supply and declining prices in the domestic market, GSO said.
The country produced estimated 142,300 MT of pangasius in the month, up 7.3 percent year-on-year, with production mainly from Dong Thap Province (44,800 MT, up 4.9 percent), An Giang (43,200 MT, 12.4 percent year-on-year) and Can Tho (15,300 MT, up 11.3 percent).
Vietnam produced estimated 67,600 MT of whiteleg shrimp, up 17.6 percent and 22,200 MT of giant tiger shrimp in October, down 4.1 percent, said GSO.
Favorable weather conditions in October helped drive wild-catch fisheries up by 3.6 percent year-on-year to an estimated 306,400 MT, comprising fish (236,300 MT, up 4.1 percent year-on-year), shrimp (12,700 MT, down 0.8 percent) and other species (57,400 MT, up 2.5 percent).
In the first 10 months of 2019, Vietnam is estimated to produce 6.698 million MT of seafood, up 5.4 percent from 2018, including 3.54 million MT from farming, up 6.2 percent, and an wild-caught output of 3.16 million MT, up 4.4 percent.
Vietnam is expected to earn USD 8.9 billion (EUR 8.1 billion) from seafood exports this year, including USD 3.4 billion (EUR 3.1 billion) from shrimp (down 4 percent year-on-year), USD 2.23 billion (EUR 2 billion) from pangasius (down 3 percent), USD 800 million (EUR 729 million) from tuna (up 23 percent) and USD 626 million (EUR 570.4 million) from squid and octopus (rising 23 percent), Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) has said.
Photo courtesy of Minh Phu
