U.S. shrimp imports are up year-to-year for the first time since February, according to statistics released late last week by the National Marine Fisheries Service.
Through July, shrimp imports totaled 621.5 million pounds, up 0.9 percent from the same seven-month period last year. In July alone, shrimp imports were up 6.3 percent, to 101.1 million pounds, from July 2007.
China, Indonesia and Thailand - three of the top four U.S. shrimp suppliers - were largely responsible for the jump.
After increasing 39.1 percent in June, shrimp imports from China surged 83.1 percent in July, to 9.7 million pounds. Though imports from China are on the rise, they're still down 8 percent, to 61.2 million pounds, through July.
Shrimp imports from Indonesia increased 27 percent, to 16.7 million pounds in July. Year-to-year, they're up an astounding 58.2 percent, to 111.9 million pounds. Indonesia is the only country among the top four with shrimp exports through July exceeding last year's seven-month tally.
Additionally, shrimp imports from Thailand - by far the leading U.S. shrimp supplier - were up 9.2 percent, to 32.9 million pounds, in July.
Last year, U.S. shrimp imports fell for the first time in several years, tumbling more than 73 million pounds, to 1.23 billion pounds.
