Vietnam’s exports of its key seafood products all rose in February 2022.
The country shipped seafood worth an estimated USD 637.9 million (EUR 580.8 million) in February, up 62.9 percent year-on-year. Its export value in the first two months surged 50.7 percent year-on-year to USD 1.5 billion (EUR 1.4 billion).
In estimated figures, VASEP said Vietnam’s pangasius exports rose 127 percent year-on-year in February to USD 171 million (EUR 155.7 million). Through the first two months of 2022, the total hit USD 384 million (EUR 349.7 million), 93 percent higher year-on-year, Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP) said.
Vietnam’s shrimp exports rose 50 percent in value to USD 237 million (EUR 215.8 million), and was up 46 percent in January and February combined to USD 550 million (EUR 500.8 million).
Vietnam’s tuna exports grew 58.1 percent in value in February to USD 68 million (EUR 61.9 million) and 83 percent in January and February combined to USD 156 million (EUR 142 million). And Vietnam’s export sales of squid and octopus sales rose 47 percent to USD 34 million (EUR 31 million) in February, and hit USD 97 million (EUR 88.3 million), up 45 percent year-on-year, through January and February 2022.
The United States imported USD 146 million (EUR 133 million) worth of Vietnamese seafood in February, up 85 percent higher year-on-year, and USD 346 million (EUR 315 million) in the first two months of 2022, an 84 percent jump from a year ago.
Japan took in USD 75 million (EUR 68.3 million) worth of Vietnamese seafood in February, up 8 percent, and USD 209 million (EUR 190.3 million) over January and February, up 15 percent year-on-year.
Sales to China, which has implemented strict inspection against products from Vietnam to curb the spread of the coronavirus, skyrocketed 135 percent year-on-year to USD 91 million (EUR 83 million) in February. The value of Vietnam’s exports to China in the first two months of 2022 reached USD 168 million (EUR 153 million), up 91 percent from January-February 2021.
Sales to South Korea, Canada, Australia, and Germany rose between 48 and 140 percent year-on-year in February.
The positive results were tempered by a warning from VASEP that the coming months will be more difficult as the Russia-Ukraine conflict continues to worsen. Despite the fact that sales to Russia and Ukraine only account for 2 percent and 0.3 percent of Vietnam’s total seafood export value, respectively, VASEP said the conflict is affecting global commerce, especially as rising oil prices cut into the profitability of local seafood producers and fishermen.
On 8 March, VASEP reported a majority of Vietnamese companies had halted shipments of shrimp, pangasius, and tuna to Russia due to the ongoing Ukraine conflict.
Photo courtesy of Berry Phan/Shutterstock
