The value of Vietnam’s shrimp exports fell for the second consecutive month in September, primarily due to the residual effects of a COVID-19 outbreak in the country’s primary production areas.
The country exported USD 308.5 million (EUR 265.4 million) worth of shrimp in September, down 20 percent year-over-year, according to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP). VASEP said the drop in sales began in August as the Mekong Delta region – the country’s major seafood producing region – experienced a major outbreak ofCOVID-19, resulting in disruptions in the shrimp supply chain.
The region’s processing and export activities have since recovered, beginning in the second half of September, after strict lockdowns were eased in the shrimp-producing provinces of Soc Trang, Bac Lieu and Ca Mau. As a result, the decline in shrimp export value in September was lower than the downturn of 28 percent in August, VASEP said.
Minh Phu CEO Le Van Quang told SeafoodSource shrimp prices have come back up from lows in July and August, and that his company – Vietnam’s largest shrimp exporter – has been able to buy sizes of between 30 to 45 pieces per kilogram, but is struggling to purchase smaller sizes of between 60-120 count per kilogram.
Despite the country’s difficulties, Vietnam’s shrimp exports to the United States in September were worth USD 97.6 million (EUR 84 million), rising 8 percent year-on-year, and in the first nine months of 2021, the value of shrimp exports to the U.S. has surged 22 percent year-on-year to USD 775 million (EUR 666.6 million).
Demand for shrimp in the U.S. will remain strong, especially during the upcoming seasonal festivals, according to VASEP. Ecuador is now a major U.S. supplier, but despite its growth in sales this year, the South American country is likely to face a shortage of material for processing, and this will create opportunities for exporters from Vietnam, VASEP said.
The value of shrimp exports from Vietnam to the European Union in September contracted 15 percent year-on-year to USD 48.8 million (EUR 42 million). However, thus far in 2021, Vietnam has grown its E.U. shrimp exports 10 percent to USD 408 million (EUR 351 million), with Germany, the Netherlands, and Belgium the biggest buyers in the bloc.
VASEP said shrimp stockpiles in the E.U. are at low levels, so exporters from Vietnam will be able to boost their shipments to serve the demand bump expecting in advance of the upcoming holiday season.
Overall, Vietnam exported shrimp worth USD 2.76 billion (EUR 2.37 billion) in the first nine months of 2021, up 2.7 percent higher year-on-year. The total includes USD 2.13 billion (EUR 1.83 billion) of vannamei, up 10 percent; USD 422.5 million (EUR 363.4 million) of black tiger shrimp, down 1.7 percent; and the remaining sales from wild-caught shrimp.
Photo courtesy of Nguyen Quang Ngoc Tonkin/Shutterstock
